ANDERSON COUNTY — Jimmy Gibbs of Townville was presented Tuesday with nine checks totaling $3,000, money he was supposed to receive automatically after being laid off from his job nine months ago.

“Here are the nine checks you’ve been looking for and fighting for,” said State Rep. Don Bowen, R-Anderson, as he handed the checks to Gibbs in the rear of the South Carolina Employee Security Commission’s Anderson One-Stop. Gibbs’ wife, Fay, joined her husband for the event.

“Sometimes people fall in cracks in their jobs with getting the benefits that their entitled,” Bowen said. “They can work with me to help get these differences ironed out. We have the end result here, he’s being paid the money he’s entitled to.”

“It wouldn’t have happened with out Rep. Bowen calling me repeatedly. He became my new best friend,” said South Carolina Employment Security Commission Chairwoman Becky Richardson. “When he goes after something, he is totally committed. He’s like a tiger.”

Rep. Bowen worked with Richardson to obtain the $3,000 in benefits and unemployment that Gibbs was eligible to receive under the Workforce Investment Act after losing his job when his previous employer, WestPoint Home, shut down. Gibbs sought the help of the state legislator to obtain the missing money.

“The South Carolina Employment Employee Security Commission is sensitive to people who are unemployed and we’re committed to making sure that they receive the benefits that thy are entitled to in a timely and an efficient manner,” Richardson said. “We are delighted that we can bring this to a happy conclusion. Now we can work on finding him work.”