Unemployment System Operational

January 24, 2014

For Immediate Release: January 24, 2014 Call the Unemployment Claims Center toll-free: 1-800-593-7660 Media Inquiries: Julie Rabinowitz, Department of Labor, 621-5009

Delayed payments were processed overnight

AUGUSTA?The Maine Department of Labor announced that the problem with the computer system that processes unemployment payments has been resolved. Payments for most of the claims filed between Monday evening and Thursday afternoon have been processed. Most claimants who have been affected by the delay should see benefits payments over the next few days.

The computer problem halted processing of unemployment checks, direct deposits, and other notifications on Tuesday and Wednesday. Payments for Tuesday through Thursday?s claims filings were processed and sent to the bank overnight and will be forwarded through the bank?s normal processing to debit cards or individuals? direct deposit accounts in their own banks. Claimants who filed over the weekend or during the day Monday should have received payments as usual.

?I want to thank the staff of both the Department of Labor and the Office of Information Technology (OIT) who have been working around the clock to solve this problem,? said Commissioner of Labor Jeanne Paquette. ?We know people need to pay critical bills at this time of year, and we apologize to those affected by this situation. We are glad that OIT and Labor staff were able to fix the system quickly.?

Paquette added, ?Because the system has been down, many people will be calling in to check the status of their claim. This may increase the wait times for those who need to speak to a claims representative. We encourage people to use the Internet, http://www.file4ui.com , or our automated phone system, 1-800-593-7660, to file or check on the status of claims. It may be best to use the automated phone system before 8 a.m. or after 5 p.m.?

Information and support for job seekers or those interested in changing careers are available at http://www.mainecareercenter.com .

Maine CareerCenters are an equal opportunity provider. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities.

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