Located in:
- Program-Specific Requirements for Wagner-Peyser Program (Employment Services)
All Program-Specific Requirements provided for the WIOA core programs in this section must be addressed for either a Unified or Combined State Plan.
b. Explain how the State will provide information and meaningful assistance to individuals requesting assistance in filing a claim for unemployment compensation through one-stop centers, as required by WIOA as a career service
Current Narrative:
Utah will provide information and meaningful assistance to individuals requesting assistance filing a claim for unemployment compensation through one-stop centers. Whether an individual contacts Unemployment Insurance from home or from the one-stop center, they receive the highest level of customer service. To ensure this level of service, Unemployment Insurance has implemented an enhanced interactive voice response system, online chats, and a direct access help desk resources for the on-site one-stop center staff providing in-person, meaningful assistance. The meaningful assistance that Unemployment Insurance provides includes:
● Interactive voice response claim status: Claimants accessing interactive voice response receive their claim status at the beginning of their call, which helps resolve basic question calls and results in lower hold times
● The option for callbacks: When wait times are elevated, individuals have the option to choose a call back rather than waiting on the phone for a representative to become available
● More effective direction for calls: Claimants and employers are directed to the same interactive voice response tree with the distinction between benefits questions and contributions questions made at the beginning of the system, which decreases the number of misdirected calls
● More effective direction for online chats: Claimants and employers are provided with portals to the online chat system at multiple places throughout the Unemployment Insurance webpage, and the system is configured to direct them to the team that can assist them
● Online Chat: Individuals accessing services through the one-stop employment centers have the option of contacting the Unemployment Insurance division through the interactive voice response system or online chat feature directly from the Unemployment Insurance webpage
● Help Desk for staff at the employment center: An employment counselor can call a direct number for the Unemployment Insurance Help Desk and be connected with an Unemployment Insurance specialist in less than 30 seconds to handle escalated situations