LAS VEGAS – Nevada’s unemployment office has hired 200 part-time welfare workers to help address an overwhelming backlog of pandemic jobless claims, according to Gov. Steve Sisolak.
“And there are 200 more ready to come on board to help,” Sisolak said at a Monday press conference where he extended the state’s eviction moratorium 45 days. “Retired state employees are also being rehired to assist as well.”
The state's unemployment system was ill-equipped to handle the volume of unemployment claims filed in the wake of COVID-19, the governor said.
“I do understand the frustration that people are feeling when they call in," Sisolak said.
Ongoing claims for unemployment insurance in Nevada saw a big dip in late August, reaching their lowest level since the early weeks of the state’s mandatory shutdown.
The good news was tempered by more people filing for extended benefits, however, as more Nevadans exhaust their regular unemployment benefits.
Nevada reported 228,203 continued claims for unemployment insurance statewide for the week ending Aug. 22, a decrease of 12,143 claims from the previous week, according to DETR.
Ongoing unemployment claims in the state peaked at 369,041 back in May 16.
A continued decrease in claims would be good news for Nevada’s embattled unemployment trust fund, which has reached critical levels after starting the year with nearly $2 billion in hand.
The fund was down to $295 million as of Aug. 22, a decrease of nearly $71 million from the previous week. DETR says the state will likely resort to various measures such as borrowing under Title XII of the Social Security Act should the trust fund run out of money.
Ed Komenda writes about Las Vegas for the Reno Gazette Journal and USA Today Network. Do you care about democracy? Then support local journalism by subscribing to the Reno Gazette Journal right here.
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September 02, 2020 at 02:21AM
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Nevada hires welfare workers to help resolve unemployment claim backlog - Reno Gazette Journal
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