While the number of Coloradans on continued unemployment has declined each week since late March, the number of people filing for a benefit reserved for gig workers has increased even as more people are vaccinated and return to work. Known as Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, this federal jobless benefit provides money to Colorado residents who don’t […]
PUA
Posted inBusiness, Economy, News
What’s Working: Colorado’s unemployment system is … working? Some readers say “yes.”
Getting unemployment pay in Colorado was not problem-free this week. But after two months with no benefits for thousands, this week brought joy as money finally made it to bank accounts — and offered hope to others still waiting. I’m talking about Kevin Saunders, the fellow from Parker who was crushed after reopening his claim […]
Posted inBusiness, Economy, News
What’s Working: Here’s how Colorado is rolling out federal unemployment benefits, plus Paycheck loans are hopping
The biggest news of the week, at least for unemployed Coloradans, is that federal benefits could start as soon as Jan. 29. No need to remind the unemployed what those are, but let’s do it anyway: This is the $300 weekly bonus for 11 weeks, otherwise known as Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC). The state […]
Posted inBusiness, Economy, News
Colorado unemployment office plans to use biometric ID verification to battle fraud
A new identity verification system using biometrics is being installed by the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment to address the monthslong issues with pandemic unemployment fraud. The service, called ID.me, is used — or will be used — by 27 other state unemployment departments to make sure people filing for unemployment are who they […]
Posted inBusiness, COVID, News, Technology
Colorado reopens its unemployment system after long-awaited computer upgrade. Nearly 30,000 request payments.
Nearly 30,000 out-of-work Coloradans requested an unemployment payment on the state’s upgraded computer system by Sunday evening after a long-awaited technology update was completed. UPDATE, Jan. 11, 2021 at 12:30 p.m.: Colorado’s Department of Labor and Employment announced Monday at noon that more than 100,000 people had accessed the system with more than 43,000 completing […]
Posted inBusiness, Economy, News
What’s Working: Colorado unemployment system getting rebuilt, new round of Paycheck Protection loans start Monday
Everyone is crossing their fingers that the technology overhaul underway to update the Colorado unemployment computer system will be completed successfully by Sunday. Blame the pandemic for the nine-months-ish long delay. The new tech was supposed to be installed in April, but was postponed when the state realized it had to implement a new system […]
Posted inBusiness, COVID, News
Unemployed Coloradans may have to wait 2-4 weeks before getting more federal aid
It will take two to four weeks for the state to begin distributing new federal unemployment benefits, though it “may be a little sooner” because the state is upgrading its outdated computer system this week, Joe Barela, executive director of Colorado’s Department of Labor and employment, said in a surprise visit during a call with […]
Posted inBusiness, Economy, News, Politics and Government
Unemployed Coloradans won’t see federal jobless aid for weeks despite Trump signing coronavirus relief bill
Linda Madigan felt relieved on Monday, a day after the $908 billion federal COVID-19 aid package was finally signed following a week of protest by the president. But she knows it could be several weeks before she and some 280,000 other Coloradans receive a cent in extended unemployment aid because the Colorado Department of Labor […]
Posted inBusiness, Economy, News, Politics and Government
Here’s how Colorado’s unemployed influenced the new federal coronavirus relief bill
Last-minute changes to the federal relief plan passed late Monday aren’t as rosy as some on unemployment had hoped when the proposal made its way through Congress last week. But the new plan, which picks up where the CARES Act ends on Dec. 26, extends jobless benefits for 11 weeks, instead of 16, and has […]
Posted inBusiness, Economy, News
What’s Working: CARES Act II inches closer as 280,000 Coloradans will lose unemployment benefits day after Christmas
By the time you read this, there could be a new federal COVID-19 relief package on its way to the Oval Office for the president’s signature, which is good timing since roughly 280,000 Coloradans will lose their unemployment benefits on the day after Christmas. But it was a rough Friday evening as Congress couldn’t come […]