VIRTUAL CALL CENTER FOR UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE CLAIMS LAUNCHED

200 Trained Operators Will Answer Phones

News Release from DLIR, Sept 30, 2020

HONOLULU — Gov. David Ige today announced the launching of a virtual call center to help claimants obtain information relating to their claim. The virtual call center will operate during normal state business hours from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. All phone lines in use by the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations (DLIR) will be routed to the new center.

“We are excited to be able to provide this much-needed resource in support of the State’s UI program,” said Gov. Ige.  “While 96% of initial claims have been successfully filed online, our State is working overtime and leveraging every resource possible to help those filers who must utilize a phone to file or resolve an issue with their claim. I am optimistic that this new call center will further expedite much-needed relief to our residents who have struggled to connect via phone.”

The current numbers used by the local unemployment insurance (UI) offices and existing toll-free numbers will route to the new virtual call center with 200 trained operators available to answer all types of claimant inquiries including Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA). The toll-free numbers are (833)-901-2272 and (833)-901-2275 and respectively correspond to the local numbers (808)-762-5751 and (808)-762-5752.

“While there are tools online to assist with navigating the unemployment insurance process, we absolutely understand the need to connect with a human voice to get questions answered,” said DLIR Director Anne Eustaquio. “Our goal with the new call center is to alleviate the enormous call volume flooding our offices.”

The virtual call center is operated by Maximus Inc., which is an American outsourcing company that provides business process services to government health and human service agencies in the United States, Australia, Canada, Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom.

The department is working with the vendor to bring on 100 adjudicators to reduce the backlog of claims requiring adjudication that involve a higher level of expertise and knowledge to process.

For more information about unemployment insurance and other labor issues please visit the recently revised FAQs at https://labor.hawaii.gov/covid-19-labor-faqs/.  

HNN: So far, new unemployment call center is falling short of promises