Fri, 05/07/2021 - 12:38pm tim
by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Regular weekly unemployment claims continue to grow to their highest levels this year and remain at a very high level, as claimants were required to refile based on their annual eligibility. The Vermont Department of Labor has also reverted to call-in only for new claims, as the online system has been barraged by large numbers of fraudulent filings.
In addition, Commissioner Michael Harrington is urging the Legislature to change the law regarding how employers are charged to meet UI Trust Fund obligations (see his letter below).
The Vermont UI Trust Fund was well-stocked with over $500 million before the pandemic and is still flush with over $200 million. Despite the Stay Home order from a year ago and layoffs at their highest levels since the Great Depression because of the pandemic, current law would require a steep increase in employer charges because of those pandemic-related layoffs. At current l
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The Vermont Department of Labor stopped accepting new online applications for unemployment benefits last week after its system was receiving nearly 3,000 new claims a day, more than 90% of them fraudulent, Labor Commissioner Michael Harrington said Monday.
The department on Friday said it would no longer accept online first-time claims for unemployment benefits. Residents were told to file their claims over the phone. The change dropped the number of new claims by about 90%.
âThe hardest part is that these fraudsters have a lot of data points on individualsâ identities,â Harrington said. âIt looks like a real person, it feels like a real person, but in the end itâs not.â
Mon, 05/03/2021 - 3:38am tim
Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Labor has become aware of fraudulent communications being sent to Vermonters by text message. The message contains claims about improved security features and asks claimants to verify information through a fraudulent link.
If you receive this message, please delete and disregard, as the information is fraudulent. The Department of Labor will never ask you to verify information via text message.
Example of message being sent:
Vermont stopped online unemployment claims after fraud spike reformer.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from reformer.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
A notice from the state department was issued on Apr. 20, reminding Vermonters to look out for letters in their mailbox that may or may not have replicated their personal information, including at times their Social Security Number, in order to file a fake claim.
In a news release, Vermont Labor Commissioner Michael Harrington stated that the application freeze served as the most secure solution to abet the fraudulent activity. When we did this, the number of claims being filed dropped by 90% and so too did the fraud, Harrison said.
Laid off Vermonters who are filing unemployment claims for the first time are asked to contact the department s Claimant Assistance Center at (877) 214-3330. The call center is open Monday to Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.