UI System Updates for Efficiency and Fraud Prevention
Quarterly strategic planning sessions led by key officials in Kentucky's Labor Cabinet aim to enhance the UI system experience through virtual appointments, website improvements, and fraud prevention measures. Initiatives include adding benchmarks on the claimant website, implementing real-time communication tools, and enhancing identity verification processes.
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Presentation Transcript
KENTUCKY UI Reform Task Force Update Jamie Link, Secretary Kentucky Labor Cabinet Buddy Hoskinson, Executive Director Office of Unemployment Insurance Morgan Eaves, Legislative Director Kentucky Labor Cabinet
UI Updates: Strategic Planning Cabinet, OUI, IT and COT leadership recently met for a three-day strategic planning session. The purpose was to identify problems and to create solutions which could be easily, and timely, implemented, in order to improve the UI system experience and efficiency Occurs quarterly Action items out of this session are: Virtual appointment process Claimant website improvements Fraud prevention and detection Weekly data dashboard
UI Updates: Virtual Appointments Virtual appointments will be available to claimants with unresolved issues on a 2020 claim OUI staff will be reaching out to these claimants, making appointments for the oldest claims first, and moving forward by date Online appointment schedule rolled out 9/27 with option to have a phone instead of in-person appointment.
UI Updates: Claimant Website Improve this page by adding benchmarks to let the claimant know where they are in the claims process, i.e., your claim is 75% complete, and what steps the claimant must take to complete the claim Automated communication if a claimant is missing information Working to implement a real-time communication tool, where a claimant and a UI staff member will be able to chat in real-time regarding any issues or questions a claimant may have Reviewing the language on the claimant website, as well as all documents sent to claimants, and will substitute industry-specific terminology with plain language
UI Updates: Fraud National Directory of New Hires NASWA data hub Annual UI report to legislature Indicator of a fraudulent claim is an issue with a claimant s identity verification Launched ID.me, a federally-certified technology partner used by the IRS and Department of the Treasury, for secure digital identity verification. In order to prevent identity theft and fraudulent claims, a claimant must now go through ID.me to verify their identity prior to filing a new claim Locked out IP addresses from outside the country Continue work with our local, state and federal partners to identify and pursue fraudsters 58,922 fraud forms have been submitted through the KCC website 50,820 have been closed
UI Updates: Data Dashboard Launching Launching an an online online dashboard dashboard to to provide provide weekly weekly updates updates Dashboard will include the following information: Number of new initial claims Number of continuing claims Number of issues Total claims awaiting claimant action Total amount paid
UI Updates: USDOL Resources Regular Regular cabinet (USDOL) (USDOL) gave cabinet meetings meetings with gave opportunity opportunity to to request with the request a a USDOL the US USDOL tiger US Department Department of of Labor tiger team team. . Labor Team will be composed of experts across many disciplines including fraud specialists, equity and customer service experience specialists, UI program specialists, business intelligence analysts, computer systems engineers/architects and project managers, and will conduct intensive discovery assessments, provide resources for identification verification and propose solutions to address fraud and equitable access. Provides OUI expert-level advice from a team who has seen what has, and has not, been successful in other states. Assist in identifying available federal funds and grants for modernization Kick off session begins on October 5
UI Updates: In-Person and Phone Data April 15 to September 24, KCC staff have assisted with more than 56,811 in-person appointments New appointments become available on the KCC website precisely Monday through Thursday Total scheduled 65,217 precisely at at 9 9 a a. .m m. . local local time time April 15 to September 24, OUI call center staff have taken more than 94,586 calls, via the UI helpline. Helpline staff can be reached at 502-564-2900, between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. EST Monday through Friday Currently have 35 call center staff; 4 open positions
UI Updates: Employment Services UI vs CDO KCC s have returned to a focus on employment services, reopening these services to the public, with no appointment necessary KCC s across the state have been holding regular job fairs Event information is sent to legislators from the surrounding area, so they can share information with constituents Kentucky has a job matching system Focus Career (job seeker) Referral to job seeker Focus Talent (employer) Gives employer opportunity to say if job seeker turned down job/refused Focus Explorer (job seeker) CDO was awarded a $1.3 million Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessment (RESEA) A grant from UDSOL Program for persons on UI who are likely to exhaust their benefits Requires claimants to go through an orientation, create an individualized employment plan, and enrolls them in the case management system Verification on job search efforts with KCC staff
UI Updates: KCC Challenges COVID variant surges, KCC s have implemented safety protocols, to protect both staff and claimants: Mandatory masking for staff Work stations are spaced 6-feet apart, with Plexiglas Call next day s list of appointments to see if they are sick Due to COVID-exposure, staffing at multiple KCC s have been impacted Positive cases and exposure led the KCC in Owensboro to close for 3 days Moved to all phone appointments with limited staff Currently 135 staff members with 25 openings across the state
UI Updates: Annual Claims # OF INITIAL CLAIMS FILED # OF INITIAL CLAIMS FILED 1,376,422 519,753 430,145 338,817 338,722 327,763 314,483 305,413 303,088 302,323 272,418 280,894 266,984 245,494 239,931 209,448193,160 186,781 158,749 165,940 141,815 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
UI Updates: Claims From March 2020 From March 2020 Sept. 19,2021 Sept. 19,2021 Total Claims Received: Approximately 2,426,605 Total Paid-All Programs: $6,640,473,258.00 Billion SB7 Waiver SB7 Waiver 5,780 total claims processed $8,333,203.78 in benefits waived
UI Updates: System Modernization Second round RFP for a new UI system was released 8/27/2021 Updated language with the need for added system security Updated language to require that the prime vendor had implemented a similar updated system, or major portion of the updated system, in another state or jurisdiction Project estimated to be $47.5 million Restricted funds: $30 million Bond Funds: $10 million General Fund: $7.5 million Proposals due 10/19/2021 After vendor selected and contract finalized it will be 18 24 months to implement and get it right
OUI Audits OUI OUI is is currently currently undergoing undergoing four four audits audits: : USDOL - Office of Inspector General is auditing the internal processes of OUI, claim processing procedures and ensuring Unemployment Insurance Program Letters (UIPL s) are followed USDOL - Employment and Training Administration auditing CARES money distribution to claimants GenTech Vendor hired by USDOL to audit computer systems used by OUI APA all aspects of OUI from internal processes, claims processing, financials and computer systems
UI Updates: Reform Joe Horvath, Senior Fellow Foundation for Government Accountability Defining suitable work No specifics in the current regulations Length of time to find work Indexing/benefit reform Work search How many jobs per week? Proof and verification
