At Thursday’s press conference with the governor, Labor Commissioner Robert Asaro-Angelo said they are trying to meet demand.
The No. 1 reason for delays in unemployment claims, he said, is missing or incorrect information.
“More than 4,000 entered incorrect direct deposit information,” he said, “and by far the biggest number is claimants who incorrectly answer the certification questionnaire,” which has to be filed out bi-weekly.
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The department now has a step-by-step guide on how to answer those questions correctly, so there is no hold-up with payment. The federal government requires anyone filing a claim to answer these questions.
“But the certifications question have proven to be an obstacle for tens of thousands of filers per week, because of their work situation,” Asaro-Angelo continued. “For example, a worker who expects to be recalled to their job after COVID-19 should nonetheless answer ‘yes’ to the question, ‘Are you actively seeking work?’
“It should be noted that if a claimant answers any of these questions incorrectly, per federal law, they will be met with a ‘not payable at this time’ message.”
Asaro-Angelo said the department will soon feature an online chat system, and they’ve added 130 new staff to help ease phone line congestion — some are even claim agent retirees.
For anyone who has exhausted their benefits between now and last July, you may be eligible for the new extension program starting May 18.
The second round of self-employed workers should now receive notifications on what they need to do to get paid under the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program.