The Arizona Department of Economic Security confirms it is aware of issues impacting a ‘limited number’ of claimants who have not received unemployment benefits.
The department launched a new platform to process unemployment benefits in September, called CACTUS, that is supposed to streamline the process for applying and tracking benefits.
The system was supposed to increase availability, communication, improve access to case information and simplify navigating multiple systems.
Krystal Ashton, of Surprise, was laid off this past summer and says she has not received benefits for eight weeks.
Ashton said she has put out more than 200 resumes since June. She was an HR manager in the trucking industry.
Ashton calls the issues stressful, saying it is hard to speak with anyone in the department, “I’ve got medical bills that I have to pay. I'm living now on my credit cards, where I had paid them off, but I have to pay my credit card bills, and there’s just there's no answer.”
Others have reached out to ABC15 with similar stories of not receiving benefits.
A spokesperson for DES said in a statement that since the launch of CACTUS, over 90,000 claims were filed and nearly $20 million in unemployment benefits were paid.
“With that said, DES is aware of an issue impacting a limited number of claimants who recently resolved an overpayment balance but have not received payments for subsequent weeks. We understand how frustrating this can be for those experiencing this issue and are actively working to resolve it.
The department has not clarified how many claimants are impacted.
“What is small? 100, 500, 1,000?” said Ashton. “They're controlling the narrative because they're not going on camera, being forced to tell the truth, they're not being transparent.”
DES laid off nearly 500 workers in June because of federal funding cuts.
Along with issues with unemployment benefits, ABC15 is hearing concerns about other programs run by the Department of Economic Security, including the nutrition assistance program that provides food assistance to people.
Sarah Ochoa said she has applied for food benefits multiple times but has not received a response. She went to the DES office on Thursday and again Friday, where she waited for hours before being told to call for help by phone.
“It’s very stressful. It’s a lot of weight on your shoulders,” she said, “I feel like everything is a struggle.”
On Friday, the department said that there are also delays for those applying for Nutrition Assistance (SNAP) and Medical Assistance benefits (Medicaid).
A spokesperson said in part, "Due to reduced capacity, processing applications, answering phone inquiries, and assisting Arizona families may take longer. We are making every effort to get Arizonans their benefits as quickly as possible. "
DES FULL STATEMENT:
CACTUS, DES’s new Unemployment Insurance (UI) system that launched on September 7, provides claimants and employers with a modernized platform to track claim information, use streamlined self-service tools, and create a more accessible experience. Features include:
- Increased availability: CACTUS is available 24/7, allowing clients to submit an application and access the client portal any time of day and on any computer, smartphone, or tablet.
- Improved communication: Clients may opt-in for electronic communication about their case via the client portal. Clients have the ability to respond to questionnaires and upload other necessary information directly in the client portal via any smart device.
- Improved access to case information: Clients have access to dashboards showing claim status.
- Simplified navigation: Clients do not have to use multiple systems. Clients can apply for benefits, submit their weekly certifications, and go through the appeal process in one system.
In the first three benefit weeks, over 90,000 claims were filed and nearly $20 million in UI benefits was paid to claimants. This is consistent with the number of claimants filing before CACTUS was implemented, indicating that the majority of individuals can successfully file and receive payment without complication.
With that said, DES is aware of an issue impacting a limited number of claimants who recently resolved an overpayment balance but have not received payments for subsequent weeks. We understand how frustrating this can be for those experiencing this issue and are actively working to resolve it. Please note that some claims are adjudicated by staff on a case-by-case basis, depending on whether information on the claim requires fact-finding to confirm eligibility for benefits. Individuals may receive notice that they were determined monetarily eligible, but still need to meet the other requirements of UI eligibility (like work history, reason for becoming unemployed, and more). This may lead to further processing before eligible claimants receive payment, but is a necessary part of the process.
Staff reductions that were necessitated by federal funding cuts earlier this year have directly affected our ability to serve Arizonans, leading to delays for those needing extra review on unemployment insurance claims and those contacting our call centers or the ombudsman’s office. We are making every effort to get Arizonans their UI benefits as quickly as possible.
FULL RESPONSE TO SNAP BENEFITS:
As stated previously, staff reductions that were necessitated by federal funding cuts earlier this year have directly affected our ability to serve Arizonans, leading to delays not only for those applying for Unemployment Insurance, but for individuals applying for Nutrition Assistance (SNAP) and Medical Assistance (Medicaid) as well. Due to reduced capacity, processing applications, answering phone inquiries, and assisting Arizona families may take longer. We are making every effort to get Arizonans their benefits as quickly as possible.
We encourage individuals to take advantage of the online application, Health-e-Arizona Plus [healthearizonaplus.gov], when applying for Nutrition and Medical Assistance benefits, and MyFamilyBenefits [myfamilybenefits.azdes.gov] to track the progress of their application and access other useful self-service tools and information. Additionally, providing all verification documents [des.az.gov] at the time of application can help reduce processing times.
