The Virginia Employment Commission. (Photo: Brad Vassar/8News)
RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) – For years, the Virginia Employment Commission has dealt with thousands of backlogged claims due to the pandemic. Now, the agency says it is on track to complete its goal of resolving the latest pandemic claim by next week.
almost three years ago, a state audit revealed The commission was poorly managed and had little oversight, leading to an unprecedented number of complaints.
Several Central Virginians contacted 8News to share their frustration with the agency.
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In December 2023, the agency projected it would complete 45,000 appeals by July, eliminating a substantial number of remaining claims related to the pandemic. Before working toward this goal, the agency says its team worked to eliminate the number of disputed claims and separation reports.
As of October 2022, there were 100,952 first-level appeals requiring review. In October 2023, that number decreased to 49,358. With a goal of resolving 45,000 of these claims by July, the agency says it is on track to reach this goal this week.
Kerri O’Brien, Director of Communications for the Virginia Employment Commission, tells 8News there are still 5,600 of these claims that need more attention.
“We are in a much better situation than at the beginning of the pandemic,” O’Brien said.
O’Brien said the VEC team is implementing a simpler claim request process through ID.Me has helped reduce call wait times and connect with the community to educate them about the claims process.
“They’ve been working around the clock,” O’Brien said. “They have been working holidays, overtime and even held several hearings on Saturdays. “They are committed to overcoming this delay.”
As the agency works to clear the latest pandemic-related delays, 8News has learned that the agency is seeing a 44% increase in top-level appeals being filed in 2024.
“When someone comes to us, it’s probably a very challenging time, maybe one of the most difficult times of their lives for them and their families,” O’Brien said. “And we know that they need that temporary assistance until they are employed again. And we take that very seriously.”
To help employers and Virginians better understand the claim process, the agency has provided information so both parties know when to file. make an appeal and when to file a separation report.
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