Department of Labor and Industrial Relations

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS

 DAVID Y. IGE
GOVERNOR

ANNE EUSTAQUIO
ACTING DIRECTOR

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 27, 2020

STATE RELEASES UPDATED UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE INFORMATION

State Has Issued $2.9 Billion in Benefits Since March 1

HONOLULU — The Department of Labor and Industrial Relations (DLIR) today announced updated unemployment insurance claims information, including paying $2,918,251,462 and 2,874,671 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:	275,621
No. of invalid claims filed statewide:	-95,367
No. of valid claims awaiting claimant to verify:	-9,520
No. of valid claims requiring DLIR action	180,254
No. of claims paid:	169,882
No. of claims requiring DLIR action 8/26/20	10,372

With the assistance of the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency (HI-EMA), the DLIR yesterday applied to participate in a new unemployment insurance plus up program called the Lost Wages Assistance (LWA) Program. The program, under the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), was created by the President via a memorandum earlier this month in response to the July expiration of the unemployment $600 weekly benefit.

“We’re diligently building a new program within the unemployment computer system to implement and pay LWA benefits as soon as possible,” said Acting Director Eustaquio. “To qualify for the $300 plus-up, recipients must be eligible for at least $100 in weekly benefits and must certify that they are unemployed or partially unemployed due to the disruptions caused by COVID-19. Payments would be retroactive to August 1, 2020.”

The DLIR continues to experience a high volume of attempts at fraud in the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program. As of August 24, the department received 112,874 applications and processed 102,165 or 91% of the applications. The department has denied 72,212 claims or 64% of the claims filed and has 15,676 or 14% of the applications pending for ID verification, COVID-19 eligibility, or both.

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