Fix the System for Filing Claims

by: RepHolder-Winfield

Wed Dec 30, 2009 at 15:41:13 PM EST

State website cannot handle the volume of unemployment claims

State Representative Gary Holder-Winfield (D-New Haven) today sent a letter to Governor M. Jodi Rell on behalf of unemployed Connecticut residents who have been unable to file unemployment insurance claims on the  state Department of Labor's website due to the site's inability to handle the increased volume of claims. The department has assured Rep. Holder-Winfield that the website would be upgraded by spring of 2010 - leaving many of the state's unemployed without access to their benefits for three to four additional months.  

Rep. Holder Winfield said, "A fix by spring time is inadequate while thousands of Connecticut residents lose their jobs and depend on their unemployment benefits. At every level of government we knew that unemployment would rise this year.  It was the state's job to be prepared and we were not."

In his letter to the governor, Holder-Winfield stated, "May I ask, of you Madame Governor, that you make it clear that this situation must be fixed now.  May I also ask that you speak with your commissioner to figure out how we can greatly accelerate the timetable for a fix."

According to the state Department of Labor, Connecticut had an unemployment rate of 8.2% in November of this year, a decrease of 2,600 jobs from October 2009 - a decrease of 62,000 from the November 2008 numbers.

****Letter attached****

###

December 30, 2009

Governor M. Jodi Rell
Room 202 - State Capitol
Hartford, CT 06106-1591

Dear Governor,

I hope this letter finds you well during this holiday season.  I write you because, while you and I may be doing well, there are people in our state who cannot say the same and we can help them.

After a number of days of hearing from many individuals and the problems they have when attempting to file unemployment claims, on November 30th, I sent a letter to the Commissioner of the Department of Labor (DOL) expressing my concerns with this matter.  The issue has evidenced itself at both the department's site and phone system but I chose to focus on the site hoping that if this was a bandwidth issue that the solution could be resolved quickly.  

I am in receipt of a response from the DOL Commissioner's office regarding my inquiry and the matter at hand.  I appreciate the response and acknowledge and believe that the issue is being worked on but a fix by spring time is inadequate.

At every level of government we knew that unemployment would rise this year.  It is that knowledge which undergirds the current resistance to cutting programs that is at the heart of the debate between your office and the legislature.  Knowing this, it was the state's job to be prepared and we were not.

I believe that when we are allowed the privilege of serving we enter into an implicit agreement with the people that we, if we do nothing else, will make sure they are secure.  When the unemployment benefit is not accessible we create a situation of insecurity.  I know that, like me, you understand this concept and that it guides what you do.

May I ask, of you Madame Governor, that you make it clear that this situation must be fixed now.  May I also ask that you speak with your commissioner to figure out how we can greatly accelerate the timetable for a fix.

Thank you for your time and consideration in this matter.  I look forward to hearing from you.

Respectfully,

Gary A. Holder-Winfield
State Representative - 94th District