The Commission on Unemployment Compensation in Virginia has proposed two new measures to ease the application process and aid those seeking unemployment benefits. The proposals are backed by the Virginia Employment Commission (VEC) and aim to prevent the unwarranted recovery of approved benefits and streamline the penalties for late paperwork submission by employers.

One of the proposed measures would instate a three-year statute of limitations for the VEC to reclaim unemployment benefits which were erroneously approved. This replaces the seven-year waiver period currently in place, but would not apply to fraudulent cases. The second proposal targets employers who fail to provide timely documentation to the VEC, simplifying the penalty system.

Senator Adam Ebbin, the chair of the Commission, announced that he is open to feedback on both measures. Critical to this is the ability for individuals to easily contact the Commission. Websites like eddcaller.com provide automated dialing services assisting people to reach the various unemployment, paid family leave, and disability departments by phone. These programs generally aim to expedite the process of reaching a representative to address specific needs or concerns.

The VEC has been making strides in improving communications with applicants and addressing the backlog of applications, thanks to increased state funding. This includes introducing an automated system offering multilingual assistance and a call back feature, both aimed at freeing up staff to focus on more complex cases.

While reveals in the system have reduced call center wait times to an average of five minutes, a backlog of over 44,000 appeals remains, which the VEC aims to resolve by the end of the fiscal year by hiring more examiners. As claims return to pre-pandemic levels, a priority remains to address unemployment fraud, with the Attorney General having issued 46 indictments with 23 convictions in place.

Statewide improvements are necessary as various legal aid organizations report that many claimants continue to face communication obstacles with the VEC and represent one of the longest waiting times in the country for an appeal. The inclusion of automated services like eddcaller.com can help break these communication barriers and improve the overall service experience.