States  are also responsible for customer service in their UI programs. In addition to state UI benefits, the Federal- State Extended Benefit Program provides additional weeks of benefits  during high and rising unemployment. Claimants Faced Challenges Filing Claims by Phone and Accessing Services in Other Languages, and Most States Collect Some Information on Claimant Challenges

		Claimants in Our Focus Groups Reported Experiencing Long Call Wait Times and Difficulty Using Automated Phone Systems

Claimant Quote   “It’s pretty much been the same, the same  problems as in 2009 when I first applied,  specifically, the wait times, trying to get a hold  of someone taking so long. For  example, 38 states (88 percent)—including the three we visited—reported  collecting data on the total number of calls answered by program  representatives and average call wait times. Many States Reported Facing Challenges, and Most Have Taken Some Steps to Improve Customer Service, Such as Increasing Self-Service

States responding to our survey reported facing various customer service  challenges—such as staffing, outdated IT systems, funding constraints — which may help explain some of the challenges reported by claimants in  our focus groups. Many States Reported Providing or Planning to Provide Self-Service and Other Practices to Ease Customers Claims Filing Experiences

Many states reported that they took or are planning to take some actions  to improve customer service, such as providing self-service options on  state UI program websites and implementing automated telephone  systems (see fig. DOL Provides States with Monitoring and Assistance on Some Aspects of Customer Service, and Has Taken Steps to Share Successful State Practices

		DOL’s Monitoring and Assistance Efforts Address Some Aspects of Customer Service

DOL’s ETA monitors states on a range of UI performance measures,  some of which directly address certain aspects of customer service. Specifically, ETA measures the timeliness of  first payments to eligible claimants and of appeals decisions and  assesses the accuracy of two types of non-monetary eligibility  determinations. ETA has also provided states with technical assistance or guidance on IT  modernization, staffing issues, and program access, which were reported  as customer service challenges by states and advocacy groups. Regarding program access, in October 2015, ETA issued  guidance directing states to ensure that all individuals—including  individuals with limited English proficiency, individuals with disabilities,  and older individuals—can effectively access the UI program. Several States Reported They Could Benefit From More Information on Other States’ Successful Practices, and ETA Plans to Share Such Practices on an Ongoing Basis

Officials in all three states we visited told us that they have consulted with  other states to learn from their experiences administering the UI program. Furthermore, ETA is  currently in the process of conducting a national study of UI call center  operations which officials expect will identify best practices on a range of  issues, including staffing. When these efforts are completed, ETA plans to share the best practices  it identifies with all states it its online community of practice. Appendix I: Objectives, Scope, and Methodology

We examined (1) the customer service challenges, if any, recent  Unemployment Insurance (UI) claimants have faced, and the extent to  which states collect information on claimants’ challenges, (2) any  challenges states have faced in providing customer service to UI  claimants, and any improvements they have made, and (3) the extent to  which Department of Labor (DOL) monitors states’ customer service  efforts and provides assistance to help them make improvements. To address our objectives, we reviewed relevant federal laws,  regulations, and guidance; conducted a survey of state unemployment  insurance (UI) programs; interviewed DOL and state UI programs  officials; conducted site visits to 3 states; and held 6 focus groups with  recent UI claimants in all 3 site visit states. The survey  included questions about available methods for filing UI claims in each  state, the status of information technology (IT) systems modernization in  each state, the data states collect related to customer service, the  challenges that states have experienced with respect to UI claims during  the recent recession and during the previous 12 months, the practices  that states have implemented to improve customer service, and the views  of state UI officials about the assistance that DOL has provided related to  customer service. The results from our  interviews with state UI programs and ETA regional offices are not  generalizable. We conducted these focus groups in September  2015. All of the participants selected for the focus  groups were fluent English speakers.
Why GAO Did This Study

UI benefits are a critical source of income for millions of unemployed Americans. Overseen federally by DOL and administered by states, the UI program requested $32.5 billion in benefits in fiscal year 2015 for approximately 7 million UI claims. During the 2007-2009 recession, states faced challenges processing record numbers of claims, and questions were raised about the quality of customer service. GAO was asked to review customer service issues in state UI programs.
GAO examined (1) customer service challenges, if any, recent UI claimants have faced and the extent to which states collect information on claimants' challenges, (2) any challenges states have faced providing customer service to claimants, and any improvements they have made, and (3) the extent to which DOL monitors states' customer service efforts and provides assistance to help them make improvements.
GAO surveyed state UI programs in 50 states and the District of Columbia (with 48 responding); interviewed officials from state UI programs and advocacy groups in California, New York, and Texas (selected for geographical diversity and large numbers of UI claims); and conducted six focus groups with recent UI claimants in these three states. Focus group results are not generalizable, but provide important insights into the experiences of some UI claimants. GAO also reviewed relevant federal laws and DOL guidance.

What GAO Found

In GAO focus groups of recent claimants filing for unemployment insurance (UI) benefits, those who filed by phone reported experiencing various challenges, such as long call wait times; however, those filing for benefits online reported that it was generally easy to do. In all six of the focus groups GAO conducted in the three states it visited, individuals who had claimed benefits by phone between July 2014 and July 2015 reported experiencing challenges with the state UI program's customer service. GAO defined customer service as including ease of program access, courtesy, timeliness, and accuracy, as well as responsiveness to customer needs and expectations. Some participants in all six focus groups reported experiencing long call wait times and difficulties using automated phone systems. In addition, in two of the states visited, representatives of advocacy groups reported that special populations, including individuals with limited English proficiency, had difficulty accessing the UI program. In GAO's survey of state UI programs, most states—including those GAO visited— reported collecting some data on customer service challenges for claimants. For example, 38 states reported collecting data on average call wait times.
Many states reported challenges in providing customer service, including staffing issues, and most have taken some steps to improve customer service, such as increasing self-service options. Specifically, more than half the states GAO surveyed reported insufficient staffing, outdated Information Technology (IT) systems, and funding constraints, all of which could play a role in claimant challenges. Many states also reported that they have taken or are planning to take some actions to improve customer service. For example, 45 states reported taking action to provide self-service options, and 42 states reported taking action to provide customer service training to program representatives.
The Department of Labor's (DOL) Employment and Training Administration (ETA) provides states with monitoring and assistance on some aspects of customer service. ETA monitors and measures state performance on the timeliness of benefit payments and appeals decisions. ETA also monitors and measures the accuracy of states' non-monetary eligibility determinations, such as whether states accurately assess reasons for claimants' separation from employment. In addition, ETA provides states with various technical assistance. ETA has provided states with assistance on IT modernization, staffing issues, and program access for special populations. UI program officials in the three states GAO visited said they could benefit from more information on other states' successful customer service practices, including practices for addressing continuing staffing and IT challenges. ETA plans to share these practices on an ongoing basis, officials said. For example, officials said ETA plans to share successful practices—including those related to staffing—obtained from its national study of call center operations through its online community of practice. ETA also plans to continue to collect lessons learned from state IT system modernization efforts and disseminate them to states.

What GAO Recommends

GAO is not making recommendations in this report.