GDOL acknowledges that this is a repeat finding from prior years. While the issue has been partially resolved, the Department provides the following response. Claimants who established PUA entitlement with a weekly benefit amount (WBA) greater than the minimum amount, or who were later determined to...
GDOL acknowledges that this is a repeat finding from prior years. While the issue has been partially resolved, the Department provides the following response. Claimants who established PUA entitlement with a weekly benefit amount (WBA) greater than the minimum amount, or who were later determined to be ineligible, did so based on wages self-reported by the claimant and/or wages reported by the employer. Under the CARES Act, claimants were required to submit proof of wages only; however, if proof was not provided, federal guidance permitted payment only at the minimum WBA and did not allow for disqualification of benefits solely due to lack of documentation. For PUA claims initially established at a higher WBA without sufficient proof, the WBA was subsequently reduced to the minimum amount as required. To date, the claimants cited in this finding have not provided the required documentation. The identified PUA claim was adjusted accordingly, and an Overpayment has been established. Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) claims are established under a similar framework as PUA claims, with one key difference: payment requests are currently submitted via paper certification forms. Claimants submit these requests by mail, fax, or email. Because this process is manual, there is an increased risk of misfiling or errors, as occurred in the DUA claim identified. To address these findings and strengthen program integrity, GDOL has implemented and will continue implementing corrective actions and additional safeguards. As system deficiencies were identified, mitigation measures were implemented as quickly as possible to reduce the risk of improper payments. In addition, GDOL’s current UI Information Technology (IT) system was developed in 1982 using mainframe legacy technology. Due to its age and structural limitations, many automated processes and corrective controls cannot be easily implemented. As a result, numerous tasks, including the validation and processing of all PUA and DUA documentation to determine eligibility, must be performed manually by staff. As a long-term measure to strengthen internal controls and improve overall UI program administration, GDOL has partnered with a vendor to implement a modernized UI system. This new system will offer enhanced eligibility determination, improved payment controls, and technological safeguards to support both current and future unemployment programs. Migration to the modernized system is expected in late 2026.