Due to the overwhelming number of unemployed claims that the Louisiana Workforce Commission (LWC) is currently receiving the agency has announced changes to the weekly certification process.
Currently claimants can re-certify their unemployment claim any day of the week. The most common day historically is Sunday. Due to the popularity of Sunday for weekly certification by claimants, the system is frequently slow or, in some cases, crashed. “We are continuing to work around the clock to make sure each and every citizen receive all benefits for which they are eligible,” said LWC Secretary Ava Dejoie. “The processing of large payment files and on-going programming is part of our continuing efforts to meet the historical demand for benefits, but people are receiving benefits. The LWC will never stop working to improve our systems to make filing as easy as possible.”
In an effort to alleviate the congestion to their systems on Sundays the LWC is changing the certification process to allowing people to file their weekly certifications based on the last digit of their social security number.
- Sunday: 0 to 3
- Monday: 4 to 6
- Tuesday: 7 to 9
- All accepted: Wednesday through Saturday
The change may affect the day of the week claimants receive their weekly payments. To date filers have received their payments one day after they submit their weekly certification. With most people filing their claim on Sunday that means they are accustom to receiving their weekly payment on Tuesday. With the change claimants with the last digit of their social security number of 7 to 9 that file on Tuesday will not receive their payment until Wednesday. “It may inconvenience some people, but it will make the system work more smoothly,” Wooley said. “When the system is slow, we can’t help anyone. It’s better for everyone to do it this way.”
Since March 22, the agency has paid out $561 million in state and federal dollars to 302,000 jobless workers, it said in a press release Wednesday. The agency paid out $151 million to 103,000 people for all of 2019 – or less than what the agency paid out on Monday alone.