Coronavirus: Idaho unemployment-claims backlog shrinks. Get free ‘rebuild’ newsletter
The backlog of jobless Idaho workers who have gone for weeks, even months, without federal coronavirus-related unemployment payments is shrinking, the state Department of Labor says.
The department said Wednesday that it has whittled pending claims to just over 20,000, from 42,000. More than 149,000 people filed initial claims for unemployment compensation in the 13 weeks after Gov. Brad Little declared an emergency on March 13 through last Saturday, June 13.
The surge of layoffs and furloughs, especially in the first five weeks, overwhelmed the agency. It has struggled with claimants whose applications raised questions about eligibility that forced their claims into pending status until they could be investigated. Many claimants have gone with no income as their bills have piled up.
The department also has struggled to adapt to a provision in Congress’s $2.2 trillion coronavirus-relief law, passed in March, that authorized payments to self-employed people, such as contractors and gig-economy workers. They are not eligible for regular state unemployment payments, so they were not in the department’s employment records.
The agency on June 1 started using a 30-person call center, run by Maximus, to take calls, but it was immediately overwhelmed by callers seeking information. Twenty additional people were later added, and the department on Wednesday said the staff would double to 100 by Thursday. The agency also reassigned about 50 employees to the backlog and hired 19 claims specialists.
An executive order signed by Little has helped by temporarily easing some unemployment insurance eligibility requirements, the department said in a news release.
Record payout: The department said it paid out $86 million for the week ending June 13 — a record. Initial claims dropped 8%, offsetting the previous week’s 8% increase. Continued claims fell 23%, reflecting people going back to work as the economy reopens.
Fraudulent claims rise: Idaho and other states have seen increases in fraudulent claims for unemployment compensation in recent weeks, the department said. About 25 percent of new claims during the week of June 8 were flagged for possible identity theft.
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More coronavirus cases reported from Boise bargoers
Health officials in Boise reported Tuesday that more coronavirus cases have been confirmed among people who visited three more downtown Boise bars, plus a bar in Meridian.
An investigation by Central District Health revealed that four people unknowingly infected with COVID-19 spent time at several restaurants and bars. The health department reported potential exposures at Matador on Sunday, June 7 (bar-top only), Vista Bar on Tuesday, June 9, and 9th Street Nook on Wednesday, June 10 — all Boise bars.
Potential exposures also occurred at Meridian’s The Breakaway Cafe & Spirits on Saturday, June 13 (bar-top only).
People who were at these businesses on those dates are encouraged to monitor themselves for potential symptoms over the next two weeks.
Last week, CDH announced that a number of bars in the area of 6th and Main streets had infected patrons inside on Friday and Saturday June 5-6. Those bars included Amsterdam Lounge, Cactus Bar, Humpin’ Hannah’s, Silly Birch, StrangeLove and Tom Grainey’s. The number of cases from that exposure has climbed to exceed 30.
Health officials still ask people to take precautions while out and about, including wearing masks and practicing physical distancing.
As of Monday, CDH reported that most of the 892 confirmed cases in Ada County were Boise residents.
Newly confirmed coronavirus cases were reported around the state Tuesday, with Ada County reporting 28 more cases — the most of any county. Canyon, Twin Falls, Washington, Cassia and Jerome were among counties reporting new cases.
Idaho had 3,196 confirmed cases as of Tuesday. No new deaths were reported Tuesday, and the state’s death total remained at 89.
The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare reported two new “probable cases” on Tuesday, bringing the total to 343 around Idaho.
Coronavirus cases have been confirmed in most of Idaho’s 44 counties: Ada 884, Adams 8, Bannock 63, Benewah 11, Bingham 26, Blaine 504, Bonner 7, Bonneville 57, Camas 1, Canyon 338, Caribou 5, Cassia 129, Custer 2, Elmore 36, Franklin 17, Fremont 3, Gem 13, Gooding 50, Idaho 3, Jefferson 8, Jerome 183, Kootenai 103, Latah 7, Lemhi 2, Lincoln 31, Madison 19, Minidoka 89, Nez Perce 75, Owyhee 10, Payette 26, Power 7, Teton 11, Twin Falls 409, Valley 3 and Washington 56.
Community spread has been detected in 25 counties: Ada, Bannock, Benewah, Bingham, Blaine, Bonner, Bonneville, Canyon, Caribou, Cassia, Elmore, Gem, Gooding, Jefferson, Jerome, Kootenai, Lemhi, Lincoln, Madison, Minidoka, Owyhee, Payette, Power, Teton and Twin Falls.
This story was originally published June 17, 2020 at 11:20 AM.
