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Unemployment office12/31/2022 ![]() ![]() 1 will put everything in place so that we can provide (residents) with the best service possible and a safe place to come.” “We’re excited that we’re opening,” she said. 1 to open to allow time to hire additional security, change their appointment system to fit the new schedule and coordinate with the Department of Taxation, which is also reopening in the same building. Perreira-Eustaquio said the unemployment office is waiting until Dec. That has prompted the state and county officials to ease Covid restrictions on gatherings. Vaccinations are way up as well, with 71.5% of the state’s population, and 84% of eligible residents aged 12 and up, fully inoculated. Daily case counts have fallen significantly since the delta surge, but state epidemiologist Sarah Kemble cautions that she still expects to see future surges. Hawaii reported 176 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, with a seven-day daily average of 108, and three new Covid deaths. Meanwhile, the pandemic is becoming more manageable and other government offices have already reopened. The state’s unemployment rate has fallen significantly since hitting 22.3% in April 2020. In September, Hawaii’s unemployment rate was 6.6%, less than half of the year prior, when it was more than 14%. Hawaii has struggled with record-high unemployment during the pandemic, but people who need help in-person have been limited to phone or email. An online system launched over the summer helped people make phone appointments for the first time in the pandemic, but workers’ advocates have said having a walk-in option is important because not everyone is computer literate. In September, Civil Beat reported that less than 7% of calls to the state’s unemployment line were answered, and Hawaii ranked as the fourth-worst state or territory in terms of how fast unemployment payments were made. The office’s continued closure has been a source of frustration to Hawaii residents who lost jobs during pandemic shutdowns and struggled to access help with applications for unemployment insurance. Staff are also subject to the state’s mandate to be vaccinated or test negative for the virus. Visitors will need to present proof of vaccination or a negative Covid test within the prior 72 hours and they’ll need to abide by social distancing and face mask requirements. Walking into the unemployment office will be different from doing so in the pre-Covid era. “As case counts drops and vaccination rates are at a very high level I’m feeling much more comfortable about providing that safety for the staff and the community and providing services,” she said, noting that the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations has a staff of more than 600 people. 7 was delayed due to the delta variant surge.īut Perreira-Eustaquio expressed confidence that the conditions were set for a safe reopening. Mondays and Tuesdays will continue to be reserved for phone appointments, which Perreira-Eustaquio has said have been effective in addressing the backlog.Ī previous planned opening on Sept. The office will be open to walk-ins on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, she said. Hawaii residents who have struggled to access unemployment benefits have been frustrated with the lack of in-person access to help. “We’re expanding our services to include the in-person services because of the decrease in Covid cases and because of the increase in vaccination rates and to stay in line with the governor’s plan to start to slowly reopen but still be cautious,” she said. More than a year and a half after Hawaii shut down government offices in response to the pandemic, the state’s unemployment insurance office finally plans to open for in-person visits.Īnne Perreira-Eustaquio, director of the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, said Wednesday that the office will begin allowing walk-ins starting on Dec.
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