DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS
DAVID Y. IGE
GOVERNOR
SCOTT T. MURAKAMI
DIRECTOR
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 18, 2020
STATE RELEASES UPDATED UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE INFORMATION
State Has Issued $1,577,182,720 in Benefits Since March 1
HONOLULU — The Department of Labor and Industrial Relations (DLIR) today announced updated unemployment insurance claims information, including paying $1,577,182,720 and 1,438,314 weeks claimed since the onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic on March 1, 2020.
“Ninety percent (90%) of the valid unemployment insurance claims that have come in since the beginning of the COVID-19 Pandemic have been processed and paid out by the DLIR. We also have 12,876 clean claims ready for payment of benefits by filing weekly claim certifications at https://huiclaims.hawaii.gov/#/,” said Deputy Director Anne Perreira-Eustaquio.
| No. of claims filed statewide: | 234,398 |
| No. of invalid claims filed statewide: | – 68,140 |
| No. of valid claims awaiting claimant to verify: | – 12,876 |
| No. of valid claims requiring DLIR action | 153,382 |
| No. of claims paid: | 137,887 |
| No. of claims requiring DLIR action 6/9/20 | 15,495 |
The Department has worked to hone and refine unemployment insurance data to more strategically target those with pending claims as well as to evolve processing operations, including at the Hawaii Convention Center and Hawaii State Library. Over the last week, the department has emailed and placed robocalls to claimants to resolve outstanding issues including the requirement to file weekly/biweekly claim certifications.
“One of our current challenges in contacting employers and claimants is them not answering our phone calls,” noted Deputy Director Anne Perreira-Eustaquio. “If you are an employer or worker involved in the unemployment insurance program please note that both (833) 901-2272 and (833) 901-2275 is the department trying to reach you to process claims.”
The Department’s operations continue to evolve including the following common issues:
- Incorrect deposit information supplied by claimants,
- No weekly certifications filed by claimants,
- Claim backdate issues,
- Separation from work that requires investigation,
- Claimants that have filed multiple claims, and
- Failure to create a username and password in the claimant online portal.
Like all States, Hawaii’s Department of Labor and Industrial Relations initially struggled to keep up with the unprecedented increase of unemployment insurance claims. Hawaii’s recent, typical average claims load of 20,000 spiked to 228,367 over the course of just a few weeks.
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]
