Travis Fain, WRAL — When the state denies unemployment benefits, it takes months just to get an appeal appointment to plead your case. So James Peden was ready to go when his appeal came up late last month, more than six months after he requested it. Then he was surprised. Then he was exasperated. The appeals referee assigned to hear his case that morning wasn’t there, because she’d left the job more than a month before.

Unemployment claims filed months ago still pending for thousands :: WRAL.com