By Scott Hamilton, Charleston Gazette-Mail
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — It was kind of odd, if not humorous, at first.
Ellen Bullock’s company — Charleston-based Gaddy Engineering — began receiving unemployment claims last year, first sporadically, and then in clumps.
It was an otherwise normal occurrence for any business, although it shouldn’t have pertained to Gaddy Engineering. Because, as things began to sour in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, Bullock and her husband, John, co-owner of the business, procured federal payroll protection loans to keep their 12-member workforce employed.
So, when the first few unemployment claims rolled in on behalf of people still claiming paychecks, Bullock thought it was an honest mistake. It was downright laughable when claims rolled in for her and her husband.
Then it happened again and again.
And again…
