Beacon 2.0 brings frustration for some

HOMNE TONIGHT.ITFULLY MODERNIZED UNEMPLOYMENTINSURANCE SYSTEM FOR MARYLANBUT THE LAUNCH WAS NOT WITHOUTSOME COMPLICATIONS.

WMAR 2NEWS ABBY ISAACS EXPLAINS THEGOALS FOR THIS NEW SYSTEM ANDWHAT STILL NEEDS TO BE FIXED.LOOKLIVE- IT2.0& IT OFFER CLAIMANTS ANDEMPLOYERS DOZENS OF NEW ONLINEFEATURES& BUT SOME ARE HAVINGTROUBLE GETTING THROUGH ON THEFIRST FULL DAY ITTO EVERYONE.

7:57-8:00- Itsbeen over 6 months and thingshave gone fairly well.

ROBERTGERMAN HAS BEEN ONUNEMPLOYMENT SINCE MARCH, WHENHE WAS LAID OFF FROM HIS JOBAT A RESTAURANT AT BWI AIRPORT8:31-36 The virus was startingto hit, the airport wasclosing down at the point.

AnditINITIALLY THERE WERE SOMEPROBLEMS BUT THEY ALL GOTSTRAIGHTNED OUT.

HE HASNANOTHER ISSUE UNTIL YESTERDAY.7:19-28 Every Sunday morning,I call unemployment.

Usually Idontime yesterday it would nottake my social security numberSUNDAY, THE MARYLANDDEPARTMENT OF LABOR LAUNCHED AFULLY MODERNIZED UNEMPLOYMENTINSURANCE SYSTEM.

BEACON 2.0IS A MULTI-YEAR PROJECT THATINTEGRATES ALL BENEFITS,APPEALS, TAX, AND REEMPLOYMENTFUNCTIONS FOR CLAIMANTS ANDEMPLOYERS.

AFTER THIS LAUNCH,OVER 271,000 UNEMPLOYMENTINSURANCE CLAIMANTS HAVESUCCESSFULLY FILED THEIRWEEKLY CLAIM CERTIFICATION ASOF 2:00 P.M.

TODAY, CONSISTENTWITH PRIOR WEEKS.

BUT SOMELIKE GERMAN HAVE NOT BEEN ABLETO GET THROUGH AT ALL SINCETHE SYSTEM LAUCNHED.

7:46-51-I called back several timestoday, maybe 8 times todayalready and you cannot getthorugh to anyone THEDEPARTMENT OF LABOR SAYS THEYARE AWARE THAT SOME CLAIMANTSARE EXPERIENCING ISSUES WHILETRYING TO FILE THEIR WEEKLYCLAIM CERTIFICATION AND THEIRVENDOR IS ARE INVESTIGATING TORESOLVE IT AS SOON ASPOSSIBLE.

8:49-58 ROBERTGERMAN // on unemployment- Ijust hope the system getsbetter for everyone.

Ithe only one in thissituation.

Other people enedhelp and I just hope they getit fixed quickely.

LOOKLIVETAG- WITH THE NEW SYSTEM,CLAIMANTS NOW HAVE AN EXTRADAY TO FILE THEIR WEEKLY CLAIMCERTIFICATION.

RATHER THANNEEDING TO FILE BY FRIDAY YOUHAVE UNTIL SATURDAY.

FOR WMAR2 NEWS ITHE PANDEMIC HAS A LOT OFTEENS FEELING EVEN MORE S