The brand new unemployment compensation (UC) program replaces a 40-year-old obsolete mainframe which made filing for unemployment benefits complex for users and processing advantages clumsy for employees. The new platform makes filing for benefits simpler and quicker for users. Staff will require time to process claims, that can be expected to reduce the amount of users awaiting their claim to be processed.
A soft launching of this new UC system happened only after 3 pm this dawn, with over 41,000 people filing claims by 10:40 a.m.
A telephone issued separate of this new system launching which influenced several state agencies temporarily induced L&I's unemployment hotlines to become inaccessible. The telephone system came back on line at about 11 a.m. and people with questions concerning the new system may telephone the Unemployment Compensation Service Center in 888-313-7284 or email uchelp@pa.gov.
L&I is actively reviewing opinions from people utilizing the new system, and it has identified two regions where many users have had queries. The first is that numerous users that receive payments by direct deposit have reported their payment form recorded as"debit card" Because payment information is stored mostly from the Pennsylvania Treasury rather than the UC system, this is simply a display issue and is no issue with payment type. Following a individual's payment is made, the proper payment procedure will be exhibited. Users don't have to take any actions to correct this if they visit"debit card" recorded rather than direct deposit.
L&I is also conscious that a small fraction of consumers are having a problem logging in using their Keystone ID or any time they try to modify their payment form.
"While we've seen success with the machine up to now, we're continuing to track it and also have staff prepared to spot and solve any problems which may arise," said Acting Secretary Berrier. "We'll continue to upgrade the public frequently as improvements and alterations have been made to our brand new unemployment system"
Due to the shortened filing week in addition to interest in utilizing the new system, L&I has expected higher than ordinary usage now. After the amount of consumers on the system exceeds a set capability, the machine automatically instates a"waiting area" webpage to reduce slowness or crashing for many users. The waiting area page puts users to a queue in order of the birth to the webpage, then acknowledges them as other customers leave the website.
Users who experience the waiting area webpage are advised to prevent reloading, leaving and reentering the webpage, and utilizing a shaky connection (for instance, a mobile phone) whenever possible as they'll be put in the end of the queue when they return to the webpage.
Furthermore, users are advised that fewer people file to their weekly gains later in the week and through non-business hours, therefore they're likely to experience the waiting area during those times.
