the staff of the Ridgewood blog
TRENTON NJ, Governor Phil Murphy extended his executive order by another 30 days yesterday. Residents have been waiting two months for their unemployment checks, they cant wait another 30 days. We need to fix the system now or start opening our state.
Assemblyman Kevin J. Rooney is calling on Labor Commissioner Robert Asaro-Angelo to resign if he can’t fix the unemployment backlog. Rooney has heard complaints for weeks from frustrated constituents about delays, backlogs and a generally unresponsive unemployment system.
“Fixing the current systemic problems with unemployment clearly requires new leadership,” said Rooney (R-Bergen). “Since Murphy won’t reopen the economy to maintain jobs, he needs to fix unemployment immediately.”
Rooney said his office is currently handling hundreds of open unemployment cases in his district. After waiting six weeks to get a return call, one constituent was put on hold for three hours before being disconnected.
“I’ve heard excuses and blame, but not the leadership and action that is needed to help,” said Rooney. “Over a million New Jerseyans are without jobs and in dire need of a financial lifeline. But, there doesn’t seem to be any ideas coming forward to fix the problems.”
A total of 1,017,99 workers filed jobless claims since the beginning of the state economic shutdown. While the number of new claims each week has decreased, the list of those trying to get through to the department has grown longer.
The labor department has cited technical issues and high traffic as reasons for its website’s outages the past two weeks. It was most recently unable to process new claims Tuesday night.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, the department managed an influx of claims by using employees from other departments to help handle the caseload, among other steps to ensure residents were helped. The department has not taken similar action despite greater demand.
“The labor department is an essential business right now that is failing at its job,” concluded Rooney. “It is simply unacceptable that so many people are left more stressed and hopeless.”
You can’t blame him sign his fault the damn computers system office tools are very old. They were not expecting this to happen. So there was no reason to revamp everything at unemployment. Remember I’m in appointment was at its lowest level in 40 years. Until the shit hit the fan
Something needs to be done thank you
Phil Murphy’s latest jaw-droppingly dismissive remark came when asked by reporter John Mooney about Bergen County Assemblyman Kevin Rooney’s call for the labor commish to immediately fix the backlogged unemployment system or resign.
“Kevin is a good guy, a very good public servant, and I consider him a friend, but Rob’s not going anywhere […] All I would say to anyone who thinks that: Go to another state.”
It’s time to nj to do the time to do the of the labor in a week to do to the commissioner on account of the to do to backlog. If fin. Do to back long log . Yes.
Thank you.
Who ever is in charge needs to go. I,m 64 years old ,collected unemployment once in my life. Now that I need it most I can’t get vit cause the system is failing. I know I’m not alone. Something has to be done immediately, so that people in need can get what they need to survive.
I have applied my unemployment application in 3/15/20 and have filed 5 weekly claims . Each time I am emailed that my claim is pending and advised to go to the website. I go to the website ; then call the offices and get bounced back again. How many others are experiencing the same. To date I still have not received my stimulus. Something needs to be done.
I received an email from DOL stating that my claim is now eligible for unemployment benefits under PUA and to start certifying my claims on May 01. I did exactly as required and answered everything exactly as described but all my certifications have the same result “Your claim is not payable at this time.” I have been unemployed since March 15 but started filing my claim on April 05. The DOL didn’t allow me any back pay and started my claim for week ending on April 11. I still didn’t receive anything yet but I still have to certify every week for fear of losing my benefit. Calls to them went unanswered. Please help clarify why I still didn’t receive my unemployment benefits.
I will be voting against murphy I don’t care who it is