All rights reserved. Most claimants who exhausted those benefits have been notified that their payments are ready to resume. The state says it is interpreting guidance from the U.S. Department of Labor about how it is allowed to distribute these checks, so thousands have gone more than a month without relief. You can also view your claim status and account balance, make changes to your direct deposit account, update your address and phone number, and get form 1099-G so you can file your taxes. A historic 576,904 workers applied for unemployment insurance for the first time over the last three weeks starting March 15, as businesses shuttered to stop the spread of the coronavirus. Recent NJ Unemployment Issues Reported to GetHuman by Other Users. NJ workers currently claiming benefits (PUA or PEUC) are receiving an 11-week extension. There's great news for 75,000 residents waiting as far back as last Christmas to receive unemployment benefits from the state of New Jersey. "I don't know what else I'm expected to do," he says. Unemployment website is down for #nyc. Linkedin. Unemployment Issues, Americans Getting Notices For Overpayment Imagine losing your job, being on unemployment and getting a few hundred dollars a week to get by. Tech for other state programs is at risk, too, NJ homeless count turns up grim reality amid pandemic, Here's where to get COVID-19 vaccinations in New Jersey, but supplies are scarce, For prisoners freed early during COVID-19, a changed — and sometimes lonely — world awaits, Bergen County is a mecca for diverse dining, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Here's What NJ Finally Said In Unemployment Pay 'Endless Battle' - Toms River, NJ - Many residents remain frustrated as NJ Gov. Full story link – HERE. He ran to his car in excitement, but by the time he hung up, he felt demoralized. But the boutique hotel that employed her in Princeton shut down, and her late and weekend hours were cut at the Ralph Lauren store where she worked, so she filed an unemployment claim in mid-March. More than 140 consumers tell the Troubleshooters they're having problems with unemployment, both in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. NEW JERSEY (WABC) -- The coronavirus pandemic has created a backlog on state unemployment sites, preventing people in New Jersey from … Unemployed NJ Workers Get Benefits At Last In Coronavirus Crisis - Brick, NJ - State officials say issues with technology and staffing have been addressed; payments are expected to … The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development — New jersey unemployment department I have been trying to file a claim for unemployment with nj unemployement since 1/24/21. A breakdown of the claims in New Jersey shows the hardest-hit sectors are food and accommodation services, ambulatory health care, personal services and temporary employment agencies. Eyewitness News at … I keep calling the Unemployment office and can’t get through. Claimants whose benefits were used up and have been anticipating the federally funded extension will be notified by email this weekend. Many New Jerseyans say they are still encountering difficulties filing for unemployment benefits nearly one year into the pandemic. The announcement comes as record numbers of unemployment … Twitter. The State of NJ site may contain optional links, information, services and/or content from other websites operated by third parties that are provided as a convenience, such as Google™ Translate. Showing 1 - 10 of 14018 - Page 1 of 1402. I've worked over 20 years - never collected Unemployment until I was temporarily laid off in the summer. After you create your account, you'll be … WhatsApp. The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits fell to 779,000 last week, a historically high total that shows that a sizable number of people are … Some forums can only be seen by registered members. They called me and I answered the phone, and the fellow on the line asked if he could transfer me to another line and I said okay. She has read “every inch” of the Department of Labor’s website, mailed a letter asking for help, and visited the local unemployment office, where a large “closed” sign hung on the window. SUBSCRIBE NOW $1 for 3 months. SUBSCRIBE NOW $1 … Updated Sep 15, 2020; Posted Sep 15, 2020 . NJ workers currently claiming benefits (PUA or PEUC) are receiving an 11-week extension. New Labor Department staff have been trained to help deal with the unprecedented number of claims and calls coming in, they say. Local News; NJ Unemployment Server is Down; Backlog of Claims Continue to Grow. But the state’s unemployment rate stands at a record 15.2 percent—a total of 1.2 million residents have filed for unemployment and collected $5.2 … Unemployment Issues, Americans Getting Notices For Overpayment Imagine losing your job, being on unemployment and getting a few hundred dollars a week to get by. Your online account allows you to submit an application for Unemployment Insurance benefits and certify to receive weekly benefits. For the roughly 1.4 million in New Jersey seeking benefits, the extension would kick in after 26 weeks of state unemployment help, as well as 13 weeks of … He is now taking care of his brother, who was diagnosed with stomach cancer. The state’s commissioner of the Department of Labor and Workforce Development says much of the problems with the state’s unemployment system are a result of federal regulations. Nearly 156,000 New Jerseyans filed for unemployment benefits last week as businesses shut down and laid off workers because of coronavirus. Issues Reported by NJ Unemployment Customers & How They Fixed Them. He accepted a job, but left after attending three days of a training program and learned he would not receive the salary he was promised. The State of NJ site may contain optional links, information, services and/or content from other websites operated by third parties that are provided as a convenience, such as Google™ Translate. By Brenda Flanagan. “That changed my status, but there was no way to get in touch with anyone to talk about that adjustment and what changed,” Anderson said. “I’m recovering from a divorce. Consider the case of Victoria Venezia. “I ask what the problem is, and they say, ‘Well, sir, we’re in a pandemic,’ ” Almstadt said. I’m one of the lucky ones, and I’m still having to think of Plan B and C.”. "It's not OK. We cannot continue to live like this.". She tells. Many New Jersey residents are growing increasingly frustrated as they wait to hear back from the state's unemployment office after filing for benefits. In November, Murphy insisted any widespread issues that had plagued the state's unemployment system early in the pandemic were no more. Each time I try to submit the application online I get a message that my identity can not be authenticated. But that changed in December. To read more, visit njspotlight.com.  Since then, it gradually improved as businesses have attempted to reopen safely, … A small subset have additional issues with their claim that must be resolved before their benefits can restart. Meanwhile, New Jersey has had to turn to the federal government … Facebook. She said she feels “betrayed by the state.”, “I hung on to my job through most of 2020, in addition to having two children at home with special needs who are having difficulties with their behavioral health challenges, much less trying to get them to stay on their meds,” Sepulveda said. “The feature simulates a human text response to provide real-time responses to the 20 most frequently asked unemployment-related questions," it said. “He’s in bad shape. “I am spending hours a day every single day trying to reach a human at the Department of Labor with the hope that the next agent will have the knowledge and skills to fix the issue with my claim,” Sepulveda said. I doubt I’ll ever get closure on this.”. Because she made a mistake while certifying, her benefit was reduced to zero and it took months to resolve. We were homeless for six months. Being unemployed is stressful, and sometimes the unemployment benefits process can add to that stress. Frank L. Cahill - Apr 26, 2020. ", There is good news for Jessica Santos. Robert Asaro-Angelo apologizes to those facing hardships, says improvements to the system are being made daily. When he did, it was a fax line which was giving out a loud fax transmission signal. A single parent, Santos' small skincare business went under due to the pandemic. Google™ Translate is an online service for which the user pays nothing to obtain a purported language translation. Opened claim - collected two weeks and returned to work. ”The unemployment system is a mess.” Nationwide, nearly 33.5 million people have filed for unemployment in the last seven weeks, according to the Associated Press — almost 1 in 5 Americans. “The woman had no idea why I wasn’t paid. We were in a good place, and now I’m having to depend on another system that is broken.”. He says his employer was actually in New Jersey, as was all his income. "Literally every (delayed) case, it is a very particular reason to that individual," he said. Sepulveda got through to a person twice, and each time the call center agent said her claim was under review — but they didn’t know why, or what she could do to fix it. NJ COVID news: Here's where to get ... Pereira has never gotten through to a live claims agent on New Jersey’s unemployment phone line. Sepulveda, 42, was laid off in December after working for close to four years at a nonprofit health and social services organization serving vulnerable communities in Camden. At the top of the page, in the dark blue bar, you'll see a link that says $ Certify for weekly benefits.. You'll be taken to the most current schedule page. More than 140 consumers tell the Troubleshooters they're having problems with unemployment, both in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. In April 2020, after governments shut down the economy, the unemployment rate reached 14.7%, the highest since the Great Depression. US NEWS. The opening of the application, however, may be only half the battle because New Jersey's unemployment system has been beset by problems and has a significant backlog of claims. "It's unacceptable," she says. Senior Correspondent Brenda Flanagan joined NJ Spotlight News in 2013, and focuses on COVID-19, transportation, environmental and immigration issues. "We urge claimants to visit myunemployment.nj.gov for the most up-to-date information on how to certify, continued eligibility and more.". Nearly 156,000 New Jerseyans filed for unemployment benefits last week as businesses shut down and laid off workers because of coronavirus.. City-Data Forum > General Forums > Work and ... NJ unemployment claiming benefits today 9/22/19 (get) User Name: Remember Me: Password Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! What am I supposed to do?” Twitter users are complaining about the same issues. In November, Murphy insisted any widespread issues that had plagued the state's unemployment system early in the pandemic were no more. Two weeks again. Phil Murphy finally addressed the many concerns about unemployment pay. Ashley Balcerzak is a reporter in the New Jersey Statehouse. But that is little comfort to the tens of thousands of New Jersey workers who, 11 months into the pandemic and the economic hardship it sparked, continue to have trouble reaching a live person to help them with claim issues. New Jersey’s unemployment rate has also risen to a record high during the pandemic. Tech for other state programs is at risk, too, Grim reality: NJ homeless count turns up grim reality amid pandemic, NJ COVID news:Here's where to get COVID-19 vaccinations in New Jersey, but supplies are scarce, "We have made every effort to help claimants through the weekly certification process, including posting a tip sheet on our website on how to correctly answer the questions, which we are required by the U.S. Department of Labor to ask every week," Delli Santi said. Thousands of New Jersey residents have been begging Murphy, the Labor Department and anyone who will listen for help in speeding up the claims process . “I literally drained every bit of my savings and borrowed money from my family so I could bridge this gap," he said. "I've used everything.". It’s frustrating to not have a way to get this resolved.”. Unemployment is one of the most critical economic issues facing the country as it balances re-opening with safety months into the pandemic. I’m feeling anxiety kicking in, because I don’t want to be homeless again. “And because I don’t know how long this will take, and how long my savings will last, I don’t know whether I should be taking out a loan or selling furniture versus looking to move.”. New Jersey workers are concerned due to a lack of income and challenges reaching the unemployment office. Unemployment website is down for #nyc . Senior Correspondent Brenda Flanagan joined NJ Spotlight News in 2013, and focuses on COVID-19, transportation, environmental and immigration issues. Others on Twitter vented about similar problems in New York City, Washington, D.C., and New Jersey. There are people out there with no jobs that have not gotten their money and that's not right. NEW JERSEY – The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development reported a slight decrease in new unemployment applications last week, as it distributed the third week of supplemental $300 payments to nearly 600,000 workers currently collecting benefits. “I’m 64 years old, and finding a new job is not that easy.”. There have been more than a million claims for unemployment since the start of the crisis. Print. “I thought Governor Murphy said that every penny would be paid out, and that they hired people to handle our questions,” Pereira said. … For subscribers:For prisoners freed early during COVID-19, a changed — and sometimes lonely — world awaits, North Jersey eats: Bergen County is a mecca for diverse dining. Pinterest. New Jersey’s latest unemployment filings exceeded last week’s historic levels, increasing to 206,000 in the week ending March 28, from about 1… Business NJ unemployment filings up … In late June, furloughed for a few days, she filed a claim for one week of partial unemployment. Thousands of New Jersey workers faced issues with the unemployment system, as the site crashed multiple times and many workers have not been able to claim their eligible benefits. The overwhelming number of claimants have received at least one payment, they note. Wolckenhauer, a 1099 worker, says his state Department of Labor agent was confused because his pay stub showed a Maryland address. By. I was scheduled for a phone appointment with NJ Dept of Labor Unemployment at 10:40 am today. She adds that "If a claimant disagrees with our determination, they have multiple levels of appeal. RELATED: Stuck in the system: 33,000 NJ claimants still unable to receive unemployment extension benefits RELATED: Nearly 1 year into pandemic, many NJ residents still face issues … These workers say they are not getting answers. NJ residents trying to address issues with their unemployment say they're making hundreds of calls a day, to no avail. NEW JERSEY (WABC) -- The coronavirus pandemic has created a backlog on state unemployment sites, preventing people in New Jersey from filing for benefits, or worse, receiving their money. But the state recently sent Santos a 1099 form showing she received more than $12,000 in unemployment income in 2020, so the Internal Revenue Service now says she owes taxes on benefits she did not receive. The New Jersey Department of Labor announced today that it has completed testing to program the 11-week benefits extension for more than 75,000 eligible New Jerseyans. Unemployment is one of the most critical economic issues facing the country as it balances re-opening with safety months into the pandemic. Initially, Anderson, 35, didn’t have problems claiming his benefits after being let go from his job as a retail district manager in February. The state Department of Labor launched a new call center in June and said it "continues to hire, train and reassign staff to assist where they are most needed." The money abruptly stopped. “I would call eight hours a day. Subscribe today for news you need now. And that doesn't include the estimated 33,000 people who exhausted their jobless benefits and are eligible for a few more months of relief under the latest federal stimulus. They are waiving 7 … Trenton NJ, Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal today announced that a Cumberland County man was indicted for allegedly stealing a total of $96,437 from New Jersey’s unemployment insurance trust fund. As a single mother, Marve Luz Pereira used to work two full-time jobs and one part-time gig to support her family. At the same time, she says "I feel terrible because somebody needs that money, you know? © 2021 www.northjersey.com. Laid off in December and reopened claim. While Gov. “It was clear the left hand didn’t know what the right hand was doing,” Anderson said. More on unemployment:COVID crashed NJ unemployment computers. Karen Sepulveda joined Facebook groups to learn how to “crack the code” and get through to a live person on New Jersey’s unemployment phone line. She's still waiting for it to start again. Be patient and you will get your entitled benefits, labor officials and Gov. Unemployment benefits in New Jersey: how to claim weekly payment After a delayed rollout due to a need to program state computers for the 11-week benefits extension, New Jersey … Most claimants who exhausted those benefits have been notified that their payments are ready to resume. During the handful of times that Joe Almstadt was able to reach someone on New Jersey’s unemployment line, he didn't receive any helpful answers about why his claim status has been pending for four months. It is being republished under a special NJ News Commons content-sharing agreement related to COVID-19 coverage. ReddIt. TRENTON – The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL) has made a series of moves – from upgrading computer technology to adding personnel and boosting phone capacity – to get unemployment claims processed faster and customers’ questions answered quicker.. But this time, I cannot get in touch with anyone at all. Phil Murphy have repeated throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. FEDERAL UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS: A new federal pandemic relief package provides additional unemployment benefits through the week ending March 13, 2021. COVID crashed NJ unemployment computers. "They'd sent us $11,556.". But even though the agency takes an estimated 36,000 calls a week, workers continue to contact The Record and NorthJersey.com seeking answers to questions they don't have the chance to ask the Department of Labor, because they can't get through to a claims agent or an agent can't fix their problems. April 14, 2020. NJ Unemployment Claims Hit 1M; Delays Persist - Toms River, NJ - People who are eligible for the 13-week federal extension of exhausted unemployment … NEW CERTIFIERS: If you received notification this week that your claim is payable, certify during your assigned time (see #1, above). Many New Jersey residents tired of waiting for long-delayed unemployment checks say they'd like the Department of Labor to reopen field offices around the state so they can solve claim problems … Call center staff members speak with roughly 6,000 people each week day, Delli Santi said, and about 3,000 people on weekend days. The tsunami has quieted down.". The state’s commissioner of the Department of Labor and Workforce Development says much of the problems with the state’s unemployment system are a … Brian Peyton, 50, of Vineland, N.J., was indicted on Friday, Feb. 12, 2021, by a … The Labor Department estimates that 96% of eligible claimants have received at least one check. ... didn’t have problems … It can be difficult to get through to the unemployment office to get help with your questions or resolve issues with your claims. I have a NJ Unemployment issue. Anyone else having problems claiming benefits this morning? "Especially when you try to call and it just says, ‘call back tomorrow, call back tomorrow, call back tomorrow.'". "There's no broad systemic issue. But workers submitted about 1.9 million claims since mid-March, leaving roughly 78,000 workers who have yet to receive a single check. Matt Wolckenhauer filed for unemployment last March but still has not collected any benefits. Google™ Translate is an online service for which the user pays nothing to obtain a purported language translation. Almstadt worked at a leasing company for close to 10 years and was let go on Sept. 2. "When my husband looks in the bank account, he's like, ‘Oh, you got your money, except there's a problem'," Venezia says. Coronavirus; Feds created unemployment mess and must fix it , N.J. labor chief says . "I don’t want to just send a check because then the problem I have from that first week won't be rectified," Venezia says. “Our application to certify for weekly benefits is not available at this time. She's now spent nearly seven weeks trying to return the overage. The state’s unemployment system has been plagued with technological problems since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, when hundreds of thousands of … Cellphone records show she's called the state Department of Labor as many as 42 times a day. We go back and forth to the hospital, which makes it tough,” Almstadt said. “Luckily, they can’t evict you or take you to court, but I don’t want the debt to pile up on me,” said Pereira, 51, of Hillsborough. She'd only collected unemployment benefits for a few weeks when she accidentally clicked on the wrong selection while certifying for weekly benefits in July. Unemployment; Unemployment. Email. I tried to file fo David Anderson was at a restaurant when he finally received a call back from the unemployment office. North New Jersey: 201-601-4100 Central New Jersey: 732-761-2020 South New Jersey: 856-507-2340 Out-of-state claims: 888-795-6672 (you must call from a phone with an out-of-state area code) New Jersey Relay: 7-1-1 She says she was entitled to $84 in state and $600 in federal benefits. The weeks she went without a check caused her to fall two months behind on rent. Phil Murphy says the state has fixed any "systemic" issues and all remaining problems are "individual,” some claimants tell, "I don't have any more savings," says Jessica Santos. "I was lucky enough to have savings to begin with. The New Jersey Department of Labor improved system technology to address issues and wait times workers are facing with unemployment insurance. We are … MORRIS COUNTY — The process of filing for unemployment benefits got even more difficult Sunday morning. For 2020, workers contribute 0.26% on the first $134,900 ( wage cap ) in covered wages earned during this calendar year. Businesses shut down and laid off workers because of coronavirus was let go on Sept. 2 your entitled,! At the same issues the overage unemployment insurance benefits and certify to receive a single parent, Santos small... For 2020, after governments shut down and laid off in the summer unemployment, both Pennsylvania. 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