Dear Neighbor,
Maybe you've been getting Pandemic Unemployment Assistance - or maybe you've been trying to for weeks or months and have been frustrated. You almost certainly know people in those situations. I'm doing this whole newsletter for them because there have been so many people affected by delays. (This week is non-stop legislative action, so more on that later.)
PUA has been a life-line for many people in the last four months who were ineligible for traditional unemployment, especially gig workers, the self-employed, and independent contractors. But tens of thousands of others have been stuck in limbo for weeks and even months.
This week we received really good news: the Department of Unemployment Assistance (DUA) has finally put out new instructions for claimants certifying their identity. Details below. The good news is that, if you are finally approved, you will get all your back benefits including the $600/week supplement from the federal government that expires this week. Please make sure you act within five days after receiving the notice!
Unfortunately, identity fraudsters targeted Massachusetts residents, making unemployment claims in their names. The DUA had to lock hundreds of thousands of accounts to ensure verification of identities. And they're working very hard on that, hiring thousands of workers. But the instructions were confusing and incomplete, and the call center sometimes gave incorrect information, causing long delays.
Our office - and all legislative offices - have been working with constituents and the administration to help people get access to PUA, but the delays have been unacceptable. I have continued, as chair of Labor and Workforce Development, to ask the administration for a process that works for applicants.
As always, if you have issues getting in touch with someone at DUA or PUA you can always reach out to my office and my Constituent Services Director Rachel Clinton (rachel.clinton@masenate.gov), who has been helping folks throughout the pandemic even more than usual. (If I'm not your senator, please contact your own legislators. All of us have many constituents with these problems.)
If you have an account and have been denied, the information should be coming in your email including in some cases a link to correct issues on their claims if they have been denied. You must respond within 5 days from when the notice is sent. It is also available on the Mass.gov website here: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/new-pua-identity-verification-instructions
Here are some important points:
Corrections for Denials based on Identity Certification
You will only have 5 days to re-submit documents after receiving your notice.
What to expect:
An email to the account associated with your claim with the subject line: “Pandemic Unemployment Claim # A00-000-0xxx-xxxx needs immediate attention”
A line explaining:
Why your claim was denied
What documents to re-submit (potentially all)
Instructions to sign into your account and follow the link “Respond to Fact Finding”
The following pages will include guidelines and requirements for the various pieces of identification you are required to submit
You will only be able to submit documents once, so make sure you have everything asked uploaded before clicking “submit”
You will have to upload ALL required documents in one session, you will not be able to save and finish later or let the screen time out.
New Claimants
Clearer instruction during the claim process will - we hope - reduce denials. The new “fact finding instructions” are available here: https://www.mass.gov/doc/pua-fact-finding-for-id-verification/download. An important clarification is that color versions of the documents, including social security card, are required.
Appealing Denials after Re-submission or for New Claimants
The appeals process is still in effect, and whether you are applying for the first time or re-submitting identification documents you will be able to appeal the decision by logging into your account at https://ui-cares-act.mass.gov/PUA/_/
More info here: https://www.mass.gov/how-to/appeal-your-unemployment-benefits-decision
Let me know how it goes for you, if you are able to re-submit documents! We will continue to help individuals and to work for better processes so people don't have to wait.
I hope this is helpful to many of you. Stay safe and stay in touch.