Surge of unemployment claims crashed New York's system, Cuomo says
By Zack Budryk - 04/21/20 08:25 PM EDT
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) said Tuesday that a surge in applicants had “collapsed†the state’s unemployment website during the coronavirus pandemic.
Cuomo said during a press conference that the state currently has 1,000 staffers processing new claims online and through the state phone system in response to the record number of New Yorkers out of work as a result of nonessential businesses being shuttered.
“It’s unbelievable,†Cuomo said, according to CNBC. “One thousand people just to take the incoming unemployment calls. That’s how high the volume is and they still can’t keep up with the volume.â€
The state has paid about $2.2 billion in unemployment claims to 1.1 million people over the course of the outbreak and while a backlog of 4,305 phone applications remains, that represents a significant reduction from the 275,000 figure from before April 8, according to the state.
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https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/494025-surge-of-unemployment-claims-crashed-new-yorks-system-cuomo
