The Department of Labor has processed more than 600,000 unemployment claims. Still, people are reaching out to FOX61 News about problems they are having with their specific claims.
When the pandemic first hit the Department of Labor, they said their 40 year old COBOL-system couldn’t handle the unprecedented number of claims they were receiving. Our neighbors, Rhode Island, had a 30 year old COBOL system as well. They were able to quickly update their system to build out federal unemployment programs in just 10 days. Now a CT state representative is speaking out, saying she made the CTDOL aware of resources they could have used to do the same.
“In my local paper, the Day, on April 10, I read about the fact that Rhode Island had been able to set up their Department there system to pay out what’s called Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, or PUA,” says State Representative Holly Cheeseman.
State Representative Holly Cheeseman sent this email to a Department of Labor employee on April 7 asking whether Connecticut has worked with other states, like Rhode Island, or others who were able to quickly set up their federal unemployment programs.
She says she never heard back.
Rhode Island was able to set up the federal unemployment program- Pandemic Unemployment Assistance- in just 10 days, thanks to their decision to upgrade their 30 year old COBOL system, similar to Connecticut’s, to a cloud-based system.
If you live in Rhode Island, you could apply for the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance on April 10.
In Connecticut, the red button for the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance application finally appeared on May 7, nearly a month after Rhode Island.
On a May 7 news update, Commissioner Kurt Westby said, “We had to build up a system from scratch to deliver these benefits. Our thoughts of the people who are deserving of a benefit are with us everyday, which is why we are working morning, noon, and night to get this program out. We did get it up mid-week, but you're right it's never fast enough.”
Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training Spokesperson Angelika Pellegrino tells FOX61 that the state processed, “11,000 initial claims for the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and now has processed more than 70,000 claims with no problems whatsoever.”
“The very system CT set up,” says Rep. Cheeseman. “You have to apply for regular unemployment and be denied before you can apply for this Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, which not only puts more strain on the underlying computer system, but is also incredibly difficult if you’re desperately trying to get this. Apply; be denied; wait for a number; re-apply again. If you could design a crazier system, please tell me.”
Representative Cheeseman says she found a nonprofit organization who has helped other states set up their Department of Labor accounts at no charge, called the United States Digital Response. She says they even offered COBOL-programmers.
“I know the Department of Labor is working hard, but as I said, I still have never had an answer of whether they explored these other avenues,” says Rep. Cheeseman.
FOX61 has been sending claims directly to the Department of Labor and has answered your questions on air.
“FOX61 as you know, you all have been fantastic about sending us individual situations, 30-35 a day, so you are helping us to hear from those constituents that are having challenges while we have limited access due to the pandemic. So, we appreciate that,” said Deputy Commissioner Dante Bartolomeo on May 7.
Department of Labor Spokesperson Juliet Manalan tells FOX61 that the Department is busy setting up a contact center coming in mid-July and will no longer answer questions about individual circumstances.
“Our DOL is not going to have this ready until mid-July,” says Rep. Cheeseman. “And let’s face it. This has been such a terrible, terrible thing for people to go through. But, to have on top of that the inability to get the money you deserve, not be able to speak to a human being, have endless hoops through which to jump. There has to be a better more humane more compassionate more technologically savvy way to do this.”
The CT Department of Labor did not immediately respond to multiple requests for comment.