DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS
DAVID Y. IGE
GOVERNOR
ANNE EUSTAQUIO
ACTING DIRECTOR
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 20, 2020
STATE RELEASES UPDATED UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE INFORMATION
State Has Issued $2.8 Billion in Benefits Since March 1
HONOLULU — The Department of Labor and Industrial Relations (DLIR) today announced updated unemployment insurance claims information, including paying $2,829,332,666 and 2,737,142 weeks claimed since the onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic on March 1, 2020.
“We are still experiencing a significant increase of workers still attached to an employer being fully released from employment. These individuals will need to report the separation when filing a weekly claim certification. Claimants can review the correct way to do this at https://labor.hawaii.gov/ui/main/reactivate-your-claim-and-report-job-seperation/ before filing their weekly claim certification,” said Acting Director Anne Eustaquio.
| No. of claims filed statewide: | 272,240 |
| No. of invalid claims filed statewide: | -94,084 |
| No. of valid claims awaiting claimant to verify: | -9,339 |
| No. of valid claims requiring DLIR action | 178,156 |
| No. of claims paid: | 167,870 |
| No. of claims requiring DLIR action 8/19/20 | 10,286 |
“The Department has worked to hone and refine Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) data to more strategically target those with pending claims as well as to evolve processing operations.” said Acting Director Eustaquio. “We have released about 10,700 PUA claims for payment in the last three weeks by using predictive analytics and other information to auto clear identity verification issues.”
The department has hired forty-nine staff to help process regular unemployment insurance claims since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The department is currently interviewing and hiring an additional forty-one staff to process both regular unemployment insurance as well as Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) claims.
For more information about unemployment insurance and other labor issues please visit: https://labor.hawaii.gov/covid-19-labor-faqs/.
Equal Opportunity Employer/Program
Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities.
TDD/TTY Dial 711 then ask for (808) 586-8866
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View DLIR news releases:
https://labor.hawaii.gov/blog/category/news/
Media Contact:
Bill Kunstman
Department of Labor and Industrial Relations
(808) 586-8845
[email protected]
https://labor.hawaii.gov
