Coronavirus Economic Impact: Unemployment Websites Crash Amidst Skyrocketing Applications

Numerous state unemployment websites have reportedly started to crash as Americans lose work over the outbreak of Covid-19. Reports of these issues have come from users and officials from states like Oregon, New York, New Jersey, and Ohio, as well as Washington, D.C.

Workers across the country are in need of unemployment benefits after restaurants, stores, and other such businesses began closing en masse to help slow the spread of coronavirus. While these are only temporary layoffs, they still leave many Americans in a financial bind.

“Can barely file for unemployment because the website can only handle about 3 people at a time apparently,” one Twitter user from Ohio noted.

Another Twitter user from D.C. reported that her partner, a massage therapist, got stuck in closed-loop while trying to file for benefits. She referred to the site as “totally broken.”

States like New York had already waived the traditional seven-day waiting period for benefits in order to help workers affected by temporary layoffs. Now, in the face of these new issues, they have begun setting certain days for users to file based on the first letter of their last names.

Robert Asaro-Angelo, New Jersey’s labor commissioner, acknowledged during a press conference that high volumes of traffic have caused unemployment sites to crash. However, he urged workers to have patience, as the issues would not delay their benefits.

“Applying online is easy and will save you precious time in receiving your benefits,” Asaro-Angelo. “But please know if you can’t get through over the phone or online, your claim will be backdated. So you won’t lose a day’s benefits that are due to you.”

Slate reports that issues are being found on the unemployment sites for Kentucky and Virginia. While workers have been encouraged to file their claims over the phone, many operators have reportedly been overwhelmed by the call volume.