ALTOONA --Two months after about 600 Pennsylvanians were laid off from unemployment offices, former Altoona office workers said the state of the unemployment system has gotten worse, and lawmakers said that recent complications have delayed discussions about a temporary fix.

"It's gotten a little scarier now because at first we had hope, but right now that hope has gone downhill," said Kara Cochran, one of those workers, said.

When the state Department of Labor and Industry closed three offices in December, the remaining offices absorbed their daily calls and filings.

Cochran, McDermott, and several other Altoona workers said they do not know if their jobs will come back, and they have no one to answer their questions.

Last week, a meeting was scheduled for lawmakers to discuss temporary fixes to relieve some of that burden, and get the unemployed their benefits and answers, but the meeting was canceled with no other scheduled date.

McDermott said in November that after the department announced the office closures, that legislators suggested that the unemployed rely on online services to handle their claims.

Now, the former workers said they can't imagine how current workers deal with the "overload" of unemployment work.

"These people can't get their jobs done who are still working. There are things that need to be done behind the scenes when somebody builds a claim on the internet," said Dan McDermott, who received his furlough letter from the state in November.

McDermott said a physical worker still handles claims after an unemployed person files them online.

"Whenever they need their payment released, have general questions or fat-finger something, the system is going to tell them to call in."

His fellow former Altoona office employee Pamela McKnight agrees.: "It's not just as easy as doing things on the internet. You have to have someone to talk to, especially if there are issues,." she said.

There is a phone system in place, but the problem is that almost no one can get through.

"Just today alone, I have tried to call unemployment nearly 200 times," McDermott said, displaying his cellphone call-log to prove it.

The workers said all of their calls have only led to busy tones or silence.

Workers said the calls they took in the closed offices now flood the few that are still open.

The issue started last fall, when the state Senate did not vote on a bill that would provide extra funding for the department.

In December, the department closed three unemployment offices in Altoona, Allentown and Lancaster as a result.

According to the department's press office, without the $60 million the bill would have provided, there simply was not enough money to pay office staff, forcing the closures.

Republican State Senator John Eichelberger said the Senate cannot discuss legislation to dish out more funding until it's clear how the department used the money that is already there.

"There are serious concerns about how that department has handled their funding, and it's not a good story for taxpayers here," Eichelberger said.

He said Gov. Tom Wolf's internal investigation into the department's unemployment system revealed errors and money that was unaccounted for -- mistakes that he said cost millions of tax dollars.

Auditor General Eugene DePasquale said in a news release that his office is conducting an audit to see how the department spent its money following the notification of the errors.

He said in athe release, "I am hopeful that this audit can shed some light on what happened to the funding already provided, and help legislators and the governor find the most beneficial path forward that ensures people receive the services they need in the most efficient and effective manner possible."

State Representative Peter Shweyer and Sen. Eichelberger confirm that last week's scheduled meeting to discuss temporary fixes for the unemployed was delayed after the information became clear.

"Legislation is pending until we get the results of the audit," Eichelberger said.

The audit period begins with January 2013 and runs through this spring when it is expected to be complete, according to the Auditor General's press office.

Shweyer said he will release information about a bill for a temporary fix within in the next few weeks.

For now, the Altoona office doors remain closed.

"We're stuck," Cochran said.

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