WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court announced on Friday that individuals in Alabama who have been left waiting for extended periods regarding their unemployment claims during the COVID-19 pandemic have the right to sue the state.

In a closely contested 5-4 decision, the court’s ruling came after the Alabama Supreme Court dismissed a case filed by 21 claimants. These individuals had experienced significant delays in determining their eligibility for benefits, while others faced abrupt halts in their assistance without any clear rationale. Notably, one claimant’s application was rejected after he failed to meet a crucial administrative deadline due to being on a ventilator at the time.

The state’s highest court had previously dismissed the case, ruling that the plaintiffs were obligated to navigate the unemployment agency’s appeals process before pursuing legal action.

However, the plaintiffs argued that at the time of their appeal, the bureaucratic appeals process was severely delayed, and courts have historically permitted lawsuits to proceed even while administrative processes remain incomplete.

Support for the plaintiffs emerged from various organizations spanning a wide ideological range, including the American Civil Liberties Union and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. They contended that requiring individuals to exhaust the appeals process before initiating a lawsuit would potentially jeopardize various legal actions, covering issues such as civil rights violations and businesses contesting state regulations.

During the pandemic, Alabama faced one of the highest per-capita mortality rates in the nation, leading to an overwhelming influx of unemployment claims that strained the already understaffed state agency. However, state officials noted that many claims from the lawsuit have now been addressed.