Fewer Unemployment Claims Calls Being Blocked, Says Department Of Workforce Development

The Department of Workforce Development says fewer phone calls for jobless benefits are being blocked after a state audit found 62 percent of people weren’t getting through.

An audit covering the 2013-14 fiscal year found almost 1.7 million calls to get unemployment insurance were blocked. Workforce Development Secretary Reggie Newson told lawmakers on the audit committee the agency is doing better.

“Nearly 700,000 calls have come in and, since last summer, we have not blocked any calls and 99.5 percent of calls are answered in 10 minutes are less,” said Newson.

But DWD’s report to lawmakers indicates more than 19,000 of those calls were abandoned. DWD said people voluntarily hang up because an automated message directs them to make unemployment claims on the internet. That’s how most claims are now filed.