12:05, 17/05/2020

Surge in claims for unemployment benefits

As many businesses have laid off workers in the face of COVID-19, Khanh Hoa Job Center is working at full capacity to deal with a surge in claims for unemployment benefits...
 

As many businesses have laid off workers in the face of COVID-19, Khanh Hoa Job Center is working at full capacity to deal with a surge in claims for unemployment benefits. 
 
Full workload
 
Khanh Hoa Job Center was full of people waiting for filing their claims for unemployment benefits at 6am on May 11. “I came here to submit my claim for unemployment benefits days ago. But it was too crowded, so I returned home. Today I arrived earlier, taking my number and waiting for my turn,” said Le Thi Thu Loan, Vinh Hai Ward. Hundreds of people had already been waiting at the gate before the center opened at 7am. All ordinal numbers were given out by 8am. Those coming later were given instructions and advised to submit their claims by post or return the following day.
 

 

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Khanh Hoa Job Center staff gives guidance on making  claims for unemployment benefits.
 
 
The center has handled a full workload, especially since the government eased the social distancing. The staff has to work from morn till night, even on weekends. “We have inspired ourselves to make effort to help the grants soon reach the unemployed who are struggling with the pandemic impact,” says a center official.
 
According to the leader of the center, in previous years, the center used to receive and handle some 1,000 claims for unemployment benefits. However, in March and April, the center handled nearly 4,000 claims/ month, including more than 3,3000 on April 1-16. Meanwhile, the center has received and updated employment status of more than 4,500 people who are currently benefiting from the allowances. There are so many applicants so they have to wait for a long time, even from 8am until 2pm.
 
Nguyen Thi Thuy Quynh, Vinh Trung Commune, Nha Trang City says, “I come here to claim my employment status to continue getting my unemployment grant but I have to wait from morning until afternoon. It is understandable because there are so many applicants. More staff is required at this time to handle such a workload, I think.”
 
All staff has been mobilized
 
The center is under the pressures of workload of handling employment benefit claims. All staff has been mobilized but still struggling with crowded daily schedules. Every day, the center receives nearly 500 files for unemployment benefits. The file processing must be careful and precise together with the data updated to the management software. The processing is required to take 20 days from the day of receiving sufficient documents, according to Nguyen Van Kha, Director of the Center.
 
In addition to processing new files, the center has to update employment status in regards to benefit eligibility for following months. To reduce gatherings and work-load, the center has guided people to take steps to file documents by post to avoid long wait at the center as well as conveniently receive results at home.
 
Moreover, the center has mobilized all staff to increase working time on weekdays and even on weekends to deal with the increased work-load. “We are trying to process files on schedule and assure rights met as regulated. We are trying our best to handle such a high workload during this period. We need empathy for any inconvenience due to long wait.”
 
According to statistics of the Khanh Hoa Job Center, from January 1 to April 30, the center received more than 7,400 applications for unemployment benefits; updated employment status of over 18,900 people benefiting from unemployment compensation. More than 3,400 dossiers for unemployment benefits sent by post from April 17 to May 4 are awaiting processing. The result notification is going to be made via messages.
 
Van Giang
Translated by N.T