Problems with unemployment benefits

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - If you've applied for unemployment and have waited weeks for benefits, Department of Workforce Development Leaders say you're not alone. Responding to tough questioning on Wednesday, DWD Commissioner Scott Sanders admitted only 17 percent of out-of-work Hoosiers get their unemployment benefits on time.

Wednesday, the commissioner was forced to confirm much of what I-Team 8 exposed in more than 2 years of investigating the embattled agency. But it's not what he'd hoped to discuss.

He began his presentation using charts and graphs, outlining the state of the Department of Workforce Development. He made his presentation before the legislative committee that oversees his department, the Unemployment Insurance Oversight Committee.

His outlook was rosy: fewer mistakes, decreasing debt, your DWD at work. Then Democratic Senator Karen Tallian asked about DWD's record of making timely payments. When a person applies for unemployment, the federal government mandates that DWD determine his or her eligibility within 21 days. But U.S. Department of Labor records indicate Indiana falls far short.

"We're hitting that deadline 17 percent of the time which means that we're not hitting 83 percent of the time," said Tallian.

When she asked Sanders why, he said it's because the department is spending more time doing quality work.

"And as a result of the slow down, and making sure we were achieving quality, it started to take a hit on our timeliness number," said Sanders.

Tallian then asked whether quality is improving.

"Quality determinations are fairly low," Sanders admitted quietly. "Quality is in the 30 to 40 percent range."

That means 60 to 70 percent of the time; DWD workers make mistakes when deciding if Hoosiers are eligible for unemployment.

Sanders confirms what I-Team 8 revealed in a special report in February when DWD employees, past and present, said that workers were poorly trained, poorly paid, and work was sloppy.

In that report, I-Team 8 asked former employee, Andrew Gray, how much training he was given when the then 20-year old was hired to determine unemployment eligibility.

"Probably in total, just under a week," Gray responded.

Since our special report aired in February, DWD has been re-training employees. Commissioner Sanders promises to improve timeliness and quality by the end of the year.

While Republican committee chair Senator Phil Boots has faith that improvements will be made, Democratic Senator Karen Tallian says DWD has promised improvements for years that haven't materialized.

Meanwhile, unemployed Hoosiers on both sides of the political aisle are left to wait and hope.