SALT LAKE CITY — The state is bolstering it resources to help Utahns who lost their jobs during the coronavirus outbreak.
The Utah Department of Workforce Services announced Wednesday that new unemployment insurance resources are being added to those that are currently being provided through the department’s online portal at jobs.utah.gov/covid19. Among the recent additions are a FAQ for filing your weekly claim, along with an overview of the unemployment insurance claim process. The latest are supplemental updates to the FAQs already available for employees and employers under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, or CARES Act, a news release stated.
“We hope these documents are helpful to individuals as they apply for unemployment insurance benefits,” said unemployment insurance director Kevin Burt. “We recognize that for many this is the first time they have used our system and want to provide as much guidance as we can as they wait for their claims to be processed.”
Over the past few weeks, the division has processed a record volume of claims that almost surpass the total amount of claims for all of last year, he said. Despite the historic increase in demand, the office has continued to process and pay out benefits as efficiently as possible, he added.
However, with the growing number of claims, the agency warned applicants to anticipate disruptions to normal service levels, including high call and chat wait times for the next few weeks. Also, the normal 21-day period for processing claims will likely be extended to approximately 30 days, the release states.
Officials called on applicants to continue using online resources to file their weekly claims. If there is an issue or any question about any claim, the department will contact individuals as necessary, Burt said.