RICHMOND, Va. (WDBJ/Governor’s Office Release) - Governor Ralph Northam has directed the Virginia Employment Commission to invest $20 million to “dramatically expand the agency’s ability to process complicated unemployment insurance claims.”
Executive Directive Sixteen requires the agency to add 300 adjudication staffers, make immediate technology upgrades, and complete a full modernization of the Commonwealth’s unemployment insurance system by October 1, 2021.
Virginia ranks sixth in the nation for the “timely payment of benefits to eligible applicants,” according to the Governor’s office, but this action is designed to “speed up the resolution of cases flagged as potentially fraudulent or ineligible. These cases represent approximately four percent of all claims.”
WDBJ7 has gotten many complaints since the pandemic began to affect businesses from people claiming not to have gotten benefits or not being able to contact VEC to file claims or contact anyone to get questions answered, and has been following and covering the issue since mid-2020.
“Virginia is a national leader in getting unemployment benefits to eligible individuals, but it’s clear that complex cases must be resolved more quickly,” said Governor Northam. “That’s why I’m directing the Virginia Employment Commission invest $20 million to significantly speed up its adjudication process and immediately implement long overdue technology upgrades. This action will address many of the issues that have caused delays and ensure that we continue to deliver relief to Virginians who need it.”
Virginia’s unemployment system was set up to benefit businesses, not workers, according to Northam, and it has remained one of the lowest-funded systems in the country for generations. Virginia ranks 51st of 53 states and territories for the amount of federal funding it receives relative to what Virginia businesses pay in taxes, the governor said. “The problem was hidden by years of low unemployment and a consistently strong economy, and the pandemic has highlighted this reality.”
If an initial claim is flagged for potential ineligibility or fraud, federal law requires the VEC to adjudicate the claim before proceeding with payment, said Northam. Most people who are placed in the adjudication process are ultimately found ineligible for benefits.
Executive Directive Sixteen directs the VEC to take four immediate actions:
· Set a clear goal for resolving claims. Governor Northam has directed VEC to increase the number of adjudications being processed per week from 5,700 to 10,000 by June 30 and to 20,000 by July 31, 2021. Northam says this will be accomplished, in part, by finalizing a $5 million contract for over 300 additional adjudication officers. VEC is also coordinating with the Virginia Department of Human Resource Management to identify employees across Virginia’s state agencies who can temporarily support VEC.
· Continue investment in Customer Contact Center. Since the onset of the pandemic, VEC has quadrupled its customer service capacity to provide information and support to Virginians with questions about their claims. Governor Northam has directed VEC to expedite an additional contract for services and staff to augment the current expansion.
· Modernize the benefits system. Historic claim volume during the pandemic had delayed VEC’s progress in modernizing its 41-year-old benefits system, said Northam. The agency has resumed the project, executing a contract for $5 million in state funding for technology upgrades. October 1, 2021 has been set as the target date for completing the final phase of the system. VEC plans to implement additional technology upgrades for customer service in the coming weeks to increase capacity.
· Collaborate with the Virginia congressional delegation to resolve federal funding disparity. States receive unemployment support from the federal government, Northam notes. The amount is based on how much Virginia businesses pay in federal unemployment insurance taxes. For Virginia, that ratio is among the lowest of all states and an increase typically requires businesses to pay more in taxes. This formula has underfunded Virginia’s UI system for years with respect to upgrading technology and maintaining staffing levels.
“As Virginia’s chief workforce official, I am always thinking about the Virginians behind the unemployment numbers,” said Chief Workforce Development Advisor Megan Healy. “As we move into the next phase of our recovery, the Governor’s actions will create additional capacity for processing the historic number of claims with indeterminate eligibility.”
Northam said Virginia has made additional assistance available to people whose employment has been impacted by COVID-19. Low-income Virginians are told to refer to the Virginia Department of Social Services CommonHelp for guidance on applying for food, cash, childcare, and other assistance. Support is also available, Northam said, through the Virginia Career Works Referral Portal for people interested in workforce training, going back to school or getting a job. This includes $36 million in funding through Governor Northam’s ‘Get Skilled, Get a Job, Give Back’ (G3) Program, which makes tuition-free community college available to low- and middle-income students who pursue jobs in high-demand fields.
“Starting the pandemic with low federal support and record low UI claims, the VEC has faced a greater than 1000% increase in workloads,” said Commissioner Ellen Marie Hess. “I am proud of the work our team has done and continues to do in the face of truly unprecedented demand. Weekly claims still exceed pre-pandemic levels, but each and every day, the dedicated public servants of the VEC continue marching forward and serving their fellow Virginians.”
Copyright 2021 WDBJ. All rights reserved.
"claim" - Google News
May 19, 2021 at 03:25AM
https://ift.tt/349dmSh
Northam to Employment Commission: Speed up claim processing - WDBJ7
"claim" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2FrzzOU
https://ift.tt/2VZxqTS
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Northam to Employment Commission: Speed up claim processing - WDBJ7"
Post a Comment