Unemployment call center now offering Saturday hours
RENTON -- Record-setting unemployment in our state put many people's frustration level over the boiling point.
The unemployment system reached its limit from time to time in the past several months.
"We logged 19,000 overtime hours in the last three months," said Nan Thomas with the state Employment Security Department.
Despite their best efforts, people calling the office still got busy signals and were locked out online. Last week alone, the state handled 14,000 new claims.
"We have really, all hands on deck," Thomas said.
The state's answer is to now provide extra hours on Saturday to help ease the pain. Applicants now may call the Employment Security Telecenter on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to noon in addition to the normal 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekday schedule.
Meanwhile, Governor Gregoire and some state lawmakers want to increase the amount people get for unemployment assistance by $45 a week.
But the Association of Washington Business is against it, saying the state needs to be careful not to drain its unemployment account.
Employment Security director Karen Lee said right now, the fund sits at $4 billion and can handle paying out the extra money for almost 2 years. She also said that money could go right into local communities that really need it.
"It's proposed in the legislature and I'm very, very hopeful that it will pass, quickly," Lee said.
Gregoire's proposal also calls for giving businesses some tax breaks to help them keep workers in place.
Critics say there's just no way of knowing how many more people may need unemployment benefits in the coming year or two.
For those who are unemployed, the unemployment office is one group that is still hiring. They need people at entry level and senior level for the telephone center and their Tax and Analysis Departments.
The unemployment system reached its limit from time to time in the past several months.
"We logged 19,000 overtime hours in the last three months," said Nan Thomas with the state Employment Security Department.
Despite their best efforts, people calling the office still got busy signals and were locked out online. Last week alone, the state handled 14,000 new claims.
"We have really, all hands on deck," Thomas said.
The state's answer is to now provide extra hours on Saturday to help ease the pain. Applicants now may call the Employment Security Telecenter on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to noon in addition to the normal 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekday schedule.
Meanwhile, Governor Gregoire and some state lawmakers want to increase the amount people get for unemployment assistance by $45 a week.
But the Association of Washington Business is against it, saying the state needs to be careful not to drain its unemployment account.
Employment Security director Karen Lee said right now, the fund sits at $4 billion and can handle paying out the extra money for almost 2 years. She also said that money could go right into local communities that really need it.
"It's proposed in the legislature and I'm very, very hopeful that it will pass, quickly," Lee said.
Gregoire's proposal also calls for giving businesses some tax breaks to help them keep workers in place.
Critics say there's just no way of knowing how many more people may need unemployment benefits in the coming year or two.
For those who are unemployed, the unemployment office is one group that is still hiring. They need people at entry level and senior level for the telephone center and their Tax and Analysis Departments.