Nearly 16 million people now receive some type of unemployment assistance with the pandemic bringing the jobs market to a halt. But millions are still waiting to be approved or rejected for benefits, according to data from the nonpartisan think tank Century Foundation.

“That’s been very difficult, very frustrating for people that have, some of them, waited many, many weeks or even months for their benefits,” said Andrew Stettner, a senior fellow at the foundation. “It’s a big issue.”