Judge denies mandate for DETR to pay PUA claimants en masse, order for specific groups still stands
Judge denies mandate for DETR to pay PUA claimants en masse, order for specific groups still stands
On Thursday a judge reviewed a second report on Nevada's employment department and its handling of PUA claims. Jeremy Chen reports.
GOOD EVENING.I'M TOOD QUINONES.AND I'M TRICIA KEAN.A STATE JUDGHAS DENIED AMOTION.....ORDERING DETR TO PAY....PUA CLAIMANTS IN MASS....AS THE CASE NOW SHIFTS.....TO THE NEVADA SUPREME COURT.13 ACTION NEWS REPORTER....JEREMY CN EXPLAINS....WHAT HAPPENS NEXT.THE ATTORNEYS SUING DETR OVERIT'S PUA PAYMENTS- SAYING DETRIS STILL NOT DOING ENOUGH TOMEET THE NEEDS OF ITS CLIENTS.THE SPECIAL MASTER APPOINTED TOOVERSEE COMPLAINCE SAYS THEAGENCY HAS MADE PROGRESS INPAYING CLAIMANTS.PKG THE COURT BATTLE OVER PUAPAYMENTS CONTINUES INTO ANOTHERMONTH.ATTORNEY MARK THIERMAN SAYINGDETR HASN'T MADE PROGRESSCOMPLYING WITH THE ORIGINALCOURT ORDER HE SAYS OF THEAPPROXIMATELY 31,000 CLAIMSTHAT HAD PAYMENTS STOPPEDONLY 3,500 WERE CLEARED FORREPAYMENT."THAT'S A N PERCENTCOMPLIANCE LEVEL.10 PERCENT COMPLIANCE.THAT'S 90% NON-COMPLIANCE."DETR SAYS MANY OF THE UNPAIDCLAIMS WERE DENIED BECAUSEPEOPLE FAILED TO FILE WEEKLYCLAIMS- OR WERE DISQUALIFIEDFOR MAKING TOO MUCH MONEY.OTHERS WERE DENIED BECAUSE OFFRAUD CONCERNS.JUDGE BARRY BRESLOW ALLOWED ALLOF THE DENIALS.THIERMAN SAYS THERE NEEDS TO BESTRONGER ACTION."WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DETR ANDORDERING IT, AN ORGANIZATIONTO DO SOMETHING.ON THE OTHER SIDE, WE'RETALKING ABOUT REAL PEOPLE WHOHAVE TO PAY THEIR BILLS, WHOHAVE TO SUPPORT THEIRCHILDREN." SPECIAL MASTERJASON GUINASSO- AN ATTORNEYAPPOINTED TO OVERSEE THECOMPLAINCE OF THE ORDER SAYSDETR HAS BEEN MAKING PROGRESS-BUT SAYS THE PLAINTIFF'SCONCERNS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED."SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLYING DOESNOT MEAN TOTAL COMPLIANCE.IT JUST MEANS THERE HAVE BEENSUBSTANTIAL EFFORTS TO COMPLYWITH EACH OF THE ELEMENTS OFTHE COURT'S ORDER.DETR SAYS IT'S DOING EVERYTHINGIT CAN TO COMPLY WITH THECOURT'S ORDER- SAYING THIERMANIS UNFAIRLY PAINTING ITSEMPLOYEES AS NOT HELPING."THERE ARE STAFF PRESSURES.PEOPLE ARE RESIGNING BECAUSETHEY CAN'T DEAL WITH THESTRESS." JUDGE BRESLOWFORMALLY DENIED A MOTION TOORDER DETR TO PAY PUA CLAIMANTSEN MASSE BUT HE WANTS TO SEECONTINUED PROGRESS ON HISORIGINAL ORDER "ARE PEOPLEBEING PAID WHO HAD PAYMENTSBEGIN THAT ARE NOT OTHERWISECAPTURED BY THE COURT WRIT OFMANDATE.THEY NEED TO BE PAID."THIERMAN HAS FILED AN APPEAL TOTHE NEVADA SUPREME COURT-ARGUING JUDGE BRESLOW'S ORDERDOESN'T GO FAR ENOUGH.DETR HAS COUNTERED THE SUITSEPTEMBER 10- TO DISCUSSPAYMENT FOR THE SPECIAL MASTER.JEREMY CHEN 13 ACTION NEWS.THIS RULING COMES...AS THE NUMBER OF FIRST-TIMEUNEMPLOYMENT CLAIMS MOVES ABOVETHE "ONE -MILLION" MARK.
