We spoke with a department representative to explain what these numbers mean, and to get a better sense of how they're reporting their progress to Governor Brad Little.
OUR TOP STORY ATTEN -- WHAT ADIFFERENCE AMONTH MAKES.IDAHO... SWINGINGFROM RECORD LOWUNEMPLOYMENT INMARCH... TO ARECORD HIGH 11-POINT-5 PERCENT INAPRIL.AND WE CONTINUETO HEAR FROMVIEWERS WHO SAYTHEY STILL HAVEN'TSEEN THEIRBENEFITS.OUR REBOUNDIDAHO EFFORT...FOCUSES ONKEEPING YOU ANDYOUR FAMILYINFORMED THROUGHTHIS PANDEMIC..
ANDHOLDING OFFICIALSACCOUNTABLE.OUR MADELINEWHITE HAS MORE ONWHAT THEDEPARTMENT OFLABOR IS DOING TOADDRESS PENDINGBENEFITS CLAIMS.THE DEPARTMENT OFLABOR RELEASINGDATA THAT SHOWSCONTINUED CLAIMSSAW A DECLINE BY 8PERCENT FROM THEPREVIOUS WEEK.
TOROUGHLY 60,000."WELL HOPEFULLYTHAT MEANS THATPEOPLE ARE GOINGBACK TO WORK."BUT WHATCONSTITUTES ACONTINUED CLAIM?"IT BASICALLY MEANSTHAT THEY'REREQUESTINGPAYMENT FOR THATPARTICULAR WEEK.""IT WOULD MEANTHAT THEY'RE NOTEMPLOYED DURINGTHAT WEEK, OR NOTFULLY EMPLOYED,AND EITHER THEY'RERECEIVING BENEFITSAND THEY'RE FILINGTHE WEEKLY REPORTTO GET THEIRWEEKLY PAYMENT,OR THEY'RE WAITINGON A PENDING ISSUEBUT THEY'RE FILINGTHE WEEKLY REPORTTO GET PAYMENTONCE THEY'VE BEENAPPROVED."BUT FOR MANY INIDAHO RIGHT NOW.GETTING APPROVEDIS EASIER SAID THANDONE.
WE RECEIVEMESSAGES LIKE THISDAILY FROMPEOPLE WHO HAVENO IDEA WHY THEIRPAYMENT IS STILLPENDING.
BUT CAN'TGET THROUGH ONTHE PHONES TOASK.
LEAH SAYS THEYHIRED 20 NEW U-ISPECIALISTS SINCETHE PANDEMICBEGAN."BUT THE AMOUNT OFIDAHOANS THATYOU'RE ABLE TOSPEAK TO ISN'TENOUGH.
AND HOWARE YOU SHOWINGGOVERNOR LITTLETHAT THROUGH THISDATA?""WELL YA KNOW TOBE HONEST I THINKTHAT GOVERNORLITTLE KNOWS THATWE, I MEAN HE'SFULLY AWARE THATWE AREN'T ABLE TOANSWER ALL OF THEPHONE CALLS THATCOME IN EVERY DAY.""WE TRY TO GETTHROUGH THEM ASFAST AS WE CAN ANDTRY TO BE ASTHOROUGH AS WECAN TO TRY ANDREALLY HELPPEOPLE.""THE ONLY WAY THATWE CAN REALLYSHOW PROGRESS ISSTART TRACKINGTHAT.""SUCH AS PHONEVOLUME, ANDNUMBER OF ISSUESTHAT WEREADJUDICATED, UM,JUST SOME OF THENUMBERS THAT AREMORE INDICATIVE OFTHE PROGRESSWE'RE MAKING AS ADEPARTMENT.""THIS WEEK THEREBOUND TEAMHERE AT IDAHO NEWS6 WILL BEINTERVIEWINGGOVERNOR LITTLESO WE'LL BE SURE TOBRING UP THE CRISESMANY IDAHOANS AREFACING.
WHILEWAITING FORUNEMPLOYMENTBENEFITS.
REACHOUT TO US ANYTIMEWITH CONCERNS ATTHEREBOUND@IDAHONEWS6.COM.MADELINE WHITE.IDAHO NEWS 6."IT'S ANOTHER STEP
Governor Little speaks out as claimants question the handling of benefits by the Idaho Dept. of Labor.