West Hartford ophthalmologist Shari Roth thought she would have a good chance at getting a loan through the federal Paycheck Protection Program aimed at helping small businesses like hers through the COVID-19 shutdown — after all, as a solo practitioner she has just four employees.
And even though she was ready to apply April 3, the first day, Roth said she was frozen out of funding, following a frustrating odyssey — and hours on hold, at one point for six hours straight — that took her through not only her bank, Bank of America, but two others and finally back to Bank of America.