DC AREA – Government Shutdown Looms, Its Impact on Unemployment
In four days, the federal government may face a shutdown if a spending bill is not passed. If this occurs, hundreds of thousands of federal workers and contractors in the DC area could be impacted, most of whom will be eligible for unemployment benefits.
As a reminder, claimants should file where they work (not live). For remote employees, this means filing where the office is located. Impacted individuals can file the day the government officially shuts down and may be eligible for up to $444 per week (in DC).
Additional information for claimants can be found on the DC Office of Unemployment Compensation Website.
HAWAII – Disaster Unemployment Assistance Deadline Extended, Now October 26
The Hawaii State Department of Labor and Industrial Relations (DLIR) has announced the extension of the application filing deadline for Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) benefits. Applications must now be received by October 26, 2023. This extension is applicable for individuals and businesses in Maui County who were impacted by the August wildfires.
As a reminder, individuals can file an unemployment insurance claim at https://huiclaims.hawaii.gov/#/ or in person. After initial filing, claimants must file weekly claim forms, which must be postmarked or received within seven days of the week claimed ending date. Additional information on weekly claims forms is available at https://labor.hawaii.gov/ui/ui-forms/.
NATIONWIDE – Login.gov Portal Expansion Announced
In an effort to help combat fraud, provide easier access, and support modernization, the US General Services and Administration (GSA) and US Department of Labor (DOL) recently announced the expansion of their partnership through the Login.gov site. After a successful pilot program with Arkansas in 2022, Login.gov will now offer all US states the opportunity to utilize its site. Earlier this year, Login.gov rolled out additional functionalities, including a 24/7 multilingual contact center and in-person identity confirmation options at US Postal Service locations.
The use of this service is another step being taken to help detect and prevent fraudulent claims from being approved while providing easier access to verification services for claimants who may not have a computer or who have language barriers. This should not have any client facing impacts and Thomas & Company will continue to monitor the program to see if it has any impacts on identity theft fraud claims.
Additional insight on Login.gov can be found on the US GSA website.
