Delegation Calls on U.S. Department of Labor to Provide Additional Resources to States to Expedite Processing of Unemployment Claims

Statement

Today, Rep. Annie Kuster (NH-02), Senator Jeanne Shaheen, Senator Maggie Hassan and Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01) called on Department of Labor Secretary Eugene Scalia to work expeditiously with state employment agencies to ensure that eligible Americans receive unemployment benefits without further delay.

"The COVID-19 crisis is like no challenge we have faced before," the delegation wrote. "When Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES) of 2020, we did so with the intent of getting economic support to struggling individuals as quickly as possible. It is essential that your Department act within the spirit of the CARES Act and help state Employment Security Offices get benefits out the door as quickly as possible. Out of work families and individuals in New Hampshire and across the country cannot wait."

Over the past several weeks, more than 100,000 Granite Staters and over 22 million Americans have applied for unemployment benefits. In New Hampshire, the state workforce agency has been inundated with an unprecedented volume of unemployment claims and are working around the clock. In the letter, the Delegation calls on the Department of Labor to address staffing and technology needs to ensure that Americans who are facing financial hardship as a result of COVID-19 will receive their benefits without further delay.