Thousands unsure of jobless claim status, awaiting DETR letter

Rick Erickson received a letter.

Elizabeth Michael-Martin and DeDe Feliz found out, by chance, on the phone.

The Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation has repeatedly said claimants would be notified by mail or online if their unemployment insurance claims need to be reviewed, or adjudicated, but only some are being contacted while many others stumble on the news when calling the department.

Michael-Martin, a substitute teacher with the Clark County School District, spoke with a DETR representative in May to find out why her payments were still delayed. She was told her claim needed to be adjudicated and to be available Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. for a phone call.

“How is a claimant to know this?” she said, adding that there were no messages from DETR in her UInv account and she never received emails. “What if I hadn’t called in?”

The inconsistencies are causing even more frustration among the thousands of jobless Nevadans as many still wait for their claims to be reviewed before they’re able to receive their unemployment benefits.

It’s unclear what the backlog is for DETR’s adjudicators, but the latest figures reported by the department show the number of weekly claims with pending issues is 24,970 for the week ending June 13, up from 23,777 the previous week.

Another delay

Kimberly Gaa, administrator for DETR’s Employment Security Division, said the agency continues to recruit and hire staff to help adjudicate claims for regular filers and those under the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program, which is meant for independent contractors and self-employed workers.

Former DETR Director Heather Korbulic said previously that the department is consistently adding staff “who are being trained actively on adjudicating claims and are working on an automated process.”

Adjudicators are tasked with reviewing a filer’s unemployment claim to clear any outstanding issues and determine their eligibility. Filers can receive their benefits after they’ve been deemed eligible for unemployment.

Las Vegan Michael-Martin filed for benefits March 19 but has not been paid. Her weekly benefit amount is $82.

“I’ve never had to work so hard at getting to the bottom of things for $82 a week,” she said.

After calling DETR every day for three weeks, she was able to speak with a representative in April who told her everything would be sorted out automatically and to wait.

“She explained that my claim needed to be reviewed (and) they were working on early March claims,” Michael-Martin said. “She said that UI understands educators, and all (their) claims automatically get flagged.”

But it wasn’t until she contacted the department again this month that she learned her claim needed to be adjudicated.

‘Dialing for dollars’

Fellow Las Vegan Feliz describes it as “dialing for dollars.”

Feliz, who was laid off and filed April 30, learned her case needed to be adjudicated after calling DETR to figure out why she had not received any payments.

“Apparently, I screwed up when I filed,” she said. “I didn’t see an option to select I’d been laid off, so I put I was fired — red flag.”

Feliz was told by the representative on June 8 to continue filing her weekly claim and she would receive a letter with a date to speak with an adjudicator. She has not received a letter yet and hasn’t been able to reach the unemployment office for an update.

A letter after months

Erickson of Las Vegas did receive a letter, though it came nearly three months after he filed for benefits March 17.

He had a telephone meeting Wednesday but was told it would be another four to eight weeks for a decision.

“I’m at my wit’s end,” he said. “As far as I can understand, (that) morning’s hearing for my ongoing, unresolved, unemployment claim was to verify that I sent in the appeal letter. And that is, in fact, my appeal.”

Erickson’s claim was denied in April because the department said it did not receive any proof of employment such as his pay stubs, but Erickson said he submitted copies of his paychecks on March 18. He sent his pay stubs again by fax and certified in April.

He is desperate for help, adding Gov. Steve Sisolak’s unemployment newsletter updating Nevadans on DETR’s efforts offer little solace.

“The message I get says, ‘Cover up your mistakes, and 81 percent completion is a job well done,’” Erickson said.

Contact Subrina Hudson at shudson@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0340. Follow @SubrinaH on Twitter.