Over 84,000 filed for unemployment in Maryland last week

MARYLAND HAVE HIT A NEW HIGH.MORE THAN 8━ THOUSAND PEOPLFILED CLAIMS LAST WEEK.

WMA━2NEWS MALLORY SOFASTAII SPOKEWITH THE STATE LABOR SECRETARYABOUT THE CHALLENGES PLAGUINGTHE APPLICATION SYSTEM..

ANDWHAT THEY'RE DOING TOACCOMODATE THE HUGE SURGEDEMAND.THIS IS SOMETHING THE STATEHAS NEVER SEEN BEFORE.

TO GIVYOU AN IDEA━ THE 400EMPLOYEES WHO PROCESSUNEMPLOYMENT CLAIMS..

THEY'REUSED TO AROUND ━ THOUSANDCLAIMS A WEEK..

THAT'S SINCEJUMPED TO 8━THOUSAND ANDTHERE'S NO SIGNS OF SLOWINGDOWN.

IN THE FIRST WEEK OFMARCHMARYLAND FILED FORUNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE 2 WEEKSLATER THAT NUMBER SKYROCKETEDTO 4━THOUSAND AND LAST WEEKIT NEARLY DOUBLED.

TiffanyRobinson, Maryland Secretaryof Labor: 1:02 in the month ofMarch we took more claims thanwe did in the entire year of2019: 0* THE DEMAND HASOVERLOADED THE DEPARTMENT OFLABORWEBSITES TO CRASH AND CALLWAIT TIMES OF SEVERAL HOURS.TR: 1:28 IMarylanders for patience andunderstanding.

MARYLAND LABORSECRETARY TIFFANY ROBINSONSAID THEYEMPLOYEES, EXTENDED CALLCENTER HOURS, AND ARE ASKINGPEOPLE TO STAGGER WHEN THEYCALL.

TR: 6:42 I think of itlike an hourglass, all ofthese claimants try to getthrough a very narrow windowat one time so weas fast as we can ONEBOTTLENECK SEEMS TO BE WORKERSWANTING TO FILE ONLINE BUTHAVING TO CALL BECAUSE THEIRSITUATION ISNTR: 3:14 I have IT staffworking right now while wedoing this interview to findways to automate the systemand to update and reprogramdrop down boxes for businessesthat include businesses inother states.

Itprocess AND THE IMPLEMENTATIONOF THE FEDERAL CARES ACT HASPRESENTED A NEW CHALLENGE &PROVIDING BENEFITS TO PEOPLETHEY DIDN'T IN THE PASTGIVING ALL JOBLESS WORKERS ANADDITIONAL ━ HUNDRED DOLLARSON TOP OF THEIR WEEKLYSTIPENDS TR: 3:59 we are stillwaiting on guidance from USDOLto tell us what questions theyneed answered and whatdocuments they need us toreceive in order to getreimbursed for those claimsROBINSON SAID NO MATTER WHENYOU RECEIVE THESE BENEFITS..THEY WILL BE BACKDATED ANDTHEIR GOAL FOR ISSUINGPAYMENTS REMAINS 21 DAYS TR:8:21 weeverything within our power tostay within that timeline butobviously with this kind ofunprecedented volume whichwebefore, we may see timelinesget a little longer:1*YOUWEEKLY CERTIFICATIONS &ROBINSON SAID THEYON POTENTIALLY SETTING UP ADIFFERENT PHONE LINE FOR THOSEPEOPLE.

AND THEYREQUIREMENT ASKING RECIPIENTSTO SEARCH FOR WORK.

THEYALSO EXPLORING SETTING UPDIRECT DEPOSIT VERSUS DEBITCARDS.

LASTLYTO REITERATESHUTTING OFF ANYONE..

THEYDEADLINES, AND WAIVINGPENALTIES.

AND TO KEEP IN MINDTHEYTHEY CAN WHILE THEIR 400EMPLOYEES ALSO DEAL WITH THEPANDEMIC AND CONCERNS FORTHEIR FAMILIEMALLORY ASKED IF YOU HAD ANQUESTIONS FOR THE LABORSECRETARY..

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