The unprecedented number of state unemployment claims is breaking records- and phones.
One of the nine phone systems that handle the 150,000 weekly unemployment claims calls crashed yesterday after a technical glitch caused circuits to overload. After several hours of being out of service, the phone line is up-and-working again.
Georgia Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond says normally eight phone systems can handle the calls- but the current volume of people seeking to file unemployment claims warrants an extra system.
The Labor Department said Thursday that the number of Georgians filing first-time claims for state unemployment insurance is up 80.7 percent from January of last year.
Those receiving unemployment compensation must call the automated system every week to verify that they’re looking for work. Thurmond says calls started coming in at 12:01 AM this week. By 1 AM claims for over 3,000 people had been certified.
(AP)
One of the nine phone systems that handle the 150,000 weekly unemployment claims calls crashed yesterday after a technical glitch caused circuits to overload. After several hours of being out of service, the phone line is up-and-working again.
Georgia Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond says normally eight phone systems can handle the calls- but the current volume of people seeking to file unemployment claims warrants an extra system.
The Labor Department said Thursday that the number of Georgians filing first-time claims for state unemployment insurance is up 80.7 percent from January of last year.
Those receiving unemployment compensation must call the automated system every week to verify that they’re looking for work. Thurmond says calls started coming in at 12:01 AM this week. By 1 AM claims for over 3,000 people had been certified.
(AP)
