(WesternMass News) – Western Mass News has received reports of delayed processing of claims and complaints of poor communication from the Department of Unemployment Assistance. Now, dozens of state lawmakers, including representatives and senators from our area, are responding.
A total of 72 state lawmakers are submitting a letter this week to the Secretary of the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development and the director of the DUA, calling this situation both frustrating and concerning.
Unemployment, of course, has been both the talk of the town and the country during these last couple of weeks, especially after thousands of federal workers were fired in the Trump administration’s actions to shrink the federal government.
The letter, co-authored by Senators Pat Jehlen and Jason Lewis of Middlesex County reads in part:
“This is not a new issue, but it seems clear that in the last few weeks the volume is accelerating with the regular seasonal uptick in unemployment. This poses major challenges for people who have recently been laid off and we regularly hear of claims going unresolved for months. For many people, this represents a severe hardship in paying their bills and can also damage their credit scores.”
Now, the letter says issues that seem to be delaying claims processing include the submission of an improper I.D., employers not responding to forms, and even trying to figure out how to appeal a decision.
Senator John Velis also signed that letter.
He sent a statement to us which says in part:
“My office and I assist constituents with unemployment claims every single week, and it is incredibly frustrating to hear how long it takes for constituent’s claims to be processed and how difficult it is for them to even speak to someone from the department of unemployment assistance (DUA).
This is unacceptable. For folks who have been laid off and are now suddenly without a source of income, any delay with their unemployment application can lead to real financial hardships for them and their families.”
As for Senator Oliveira, he and the lead authors of this letter plan to meet with the executive office of labor and workforce development and dua as soon as tomorrow to hopefully find a solution to help get all of these claims processed.
The senator also says residents who are having trouble accessing their unemployment claims should, in the short term, call or email their state representative or state senator.