NE Dept. of Labor to revamp scheduling system to process older claims quicker

JULIE: THERE ARE STILL PLENTY OF PEOPLE STILL WAITING FOR THOSE CHECKS TONIGHT WE’VE LEARNED NEBRASKA’S LABOUR OFFICE WILL PROCESS OLD PLANES FASTER. THAT INCLUDES A COUPLE FROM NORTH BEND. KETV NEWSWATCH 7’S SARAH FILI TAKES THEIR FRUSTRATION TO NEBRASKA’S LABOR COMMISSIONER. SARAH: MARCH 13, LINDA MERRYWEATHER GOT SICK. SHE TESTED FOR COVID-19, DOCTORS TOLD HER ENTIRE FAMILY TO QUARANTINE FOR 14 DAYS LINDA: AND THEN HIS BOSS HAD TOLD HIM, WELL, YOU KNOW, YOU YOU CAN APPLY FOR UNEMPLOYMENT BECAUSE YOU’RE OFF ALL THIS TIME BECAUSE OF COVID SARAH: SO HER HUSBAND DID. THE TEST CAME BACK NEGATIVE, BUT THE PANDEMIC FORCED BOTH OF THEIR EMPLOYERS TO SHUT DOWN. SIX WEEKS LATER, MICHAEL IS STILL WAITING FOR HIS MONEY. LINDA: NOT KNOWING WHAT, YOU KNOW, YOU GOT BILLS TO PAY, YOU HAVE MEDICINES TO BUY, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE ALL THIS STUFF AND YOU DON’T KNOW WHEN YOU’RE GONNA GET YOUR MONEY SARAH: NEBRASKA LABOR COMMISSIONER JOHN ALBIN SAYS THERE’S NO EXCUS JOHN: I WOULDNT HOLD THAT UP AS AN EXAMPLE OF A WELL PROCESSED CLAIM, IT GOT SHUFFLED TO THE BACK AND IT SHOULDNT HAVE. SARAH: THE DEPARMENT IS REVAMPING IT’S SCHEDULING SYSTEM OR IT -- SYSTEM. ALBIN SAYS SOME CASES WEREN’T BEING ADVANCED AS QUICKLY AS THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN, OR IN THE RIGHT ORDER. JOHN: WE’LL REALLOCATE ALL OF THE OLDER CASES AT THAT POINT, BECAUSE THERE ARE TOO MANY THAT ARE OLDER. AND SO WE WILL REALLOCATE THOSE OUT ACROSS ALL OF THE INDIVIDUALS TO TRY AND GET THAT THOSE WEEKS CAUGHT UP. SARAH: ALBIN SAYS THEY’RE REVAMPING THE EMAIL SYSTEM TOO, SAYING SOME HAVE GONE UNANSWERED. HE SAYS THE ADDED STAFF FROM NELNET IS GETTING UP TO SPEED AND WILL BE ABLE TO HANDLE CLAIMS QUICKER JOHN: I’M NOT SAYING WE DIDN’T MAKE ANY MISTAKES ALONG THE WAY, BECAUSE WE’RE HUMANS, AND WE HAVE, BUT WE ARE TRYING MIGHTILY TO GET ALL THEIR CLAIMS PAID AS PROMPTLY AS POSSIBLE. SARAH: AND AS FOR THE MERRYWEATHER JOHN: THAT CLAIM, ITS MY UNDERSTANDING WILL BE RESOLVED TOMORROW

A North Bend couple has been waiting more than six weeks for their unemployment. The Nebraska Department of Labor’s goal is to have 75% of claims processed within 28 days. The labor commissioner said the pandemic has pushed them to learn how to adapt the system to the overwhelming number of claims. Thursday, it’ll roll out a new system to track claims.Linda and Michael Merryweather have been waiting since March 15 for their unemployment. On March 13, Linda Merryweather got sick. She was tested for COVID-19 and doctors told her entire family to quarantine for 14 days."And then (Michael’s) boss had told him, well, you know, you can apply for unemployment because you're off all this time because of COVID,” Linda Merryweather said.So he did. The COVID test came back negative, but the pandemic forced both of their employers to shut down. Six weeks later, Michael is still waiting for his money."Not knowing what, you know, you got bills to pay, you have medicines to buy, you know, you have all this stuff and you don't know when you're going to get your money,” the Merryweathers said.Nebraska labor commissioner John Albin said there's no excuse.“I wouldn’t hold that up as an example of a well-processed claim. It got shuffled to the back and it shouldn’t have,” Albin said.The department is revamping its scheduling system; Albin said some cases weren't being advanced as quickly as they should have been or in the right order."We'll reallocate all of the older cases at that point, because there are too many that are older. And so we will reallocate those out across all of the individuals (processing claims) to try and get those weeks caught up,” Albin said.Albin said they're revamping the email system too because some have gone unanswered.He said the added staff from Nelnet is getting up to speed and will be able to handle claims quicker.“It’s largely just a function of huge numbers (of claims) we've never seen and will probably never see again,” Albin said.“I'm not saying we didn't make any mistakes along the way, because we're humans, and we have, but we are trying mightily to get all their claims paid as promptly as possible,” Albin said.As for the Merryweathers:"That claim, it’s my understanding will be resolved tomorrow,” Albin said.“It was just frustrating. But it's relief now,” Linda Merryweather said.

Linda and Michael Merryweather have been waiting since March 15 for their unemployment. On March 13, Linda Merryweather got sick. She was tested for COVID-19 and doctors told her entire family to quarantine for 14 days.

"And then (Michael’s) boss had told him, well, you know, you can apply for unemployment because you're off all this time because of COVID,” Linda Merryweather said.

So he did. The COVID test came back negative, but the pandemic forced both of their employers to shut down. Six weeks later, Michael is still waiting for his money.

"Not knowing what, you know, you got bills to pay, you have medicines to buy, you know, you have all this stuff and you don't know when you're going to get your money,” the Merryweathers said.

Nebraska labor commissioner John Albin said there's no excuse.

“I wouldn’t hold that up as an example of a well-processed claim. It got shuffled to the back and it shouldn’t have,” Albin said.

The department is revamping its scheduling system; Albin said some cases weren't being advanced as quickly as they should have been or in the right order.

"We'll reallocate all of the older cases at that point, because there are too many that are older. And so we will reallocate those out across all of the individuals (processing claims) to try and get those weeks caught up,” Albin said.

Albin said they're revamping the email system too because some have gone unanswered.

He said the added staff from Nelnet is getting up to speed and will be able to handle claims quicker.

“It’s largely just a function of huge numbers (of claims) we've never seen and will probably never see again,” Albin said.

“I'm not saying we didn't make any mistakes along the way, because we're humans, and we have, but we are trying mightily to get all their claims paid as promptly as possible,” Albin said.

As for the Merryweathers:

"That claim, it’s my understanding will be resolved tomorrow,” Albin said.

“It was just frustrating. But it's relief now,” Linda Merryweather said.

NE Dept. of Labor to revamp scheduling system to process older claims quicker

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