DETR Continues To Drag Its Feet Paying Gig Workers
The Nevada Department of Training and Rehabilitation (DETR), which administers the state’s unemployment services, continues to take its’ time paying unemployment compensation to gig workers, independent contractors and self employed workers under the CARES Act. Ignoring its’ statement from a few weeks ago that gig workers’ claims would be paid first and adjudicated later, DETR continues to come up with excuses as to why payments are being processed slowly and why claimants can’t get through on the phone. DETR Director Heather Korbulic and spokesperson Rosa Mendez can’t seem to give concise information as to the problems plaguing the process. In last Friday’s press briefing, Korbulic and Mendez revealed among other things that there are only 35 adjudicators working on claims and that there is no local call center. DETR hired Alorica, an outside vendor, to help take phone calls but those reps are working from home. Claimants say the phone reps can only provide limited help and in a lot of cases are giving incorrect or conflicting information. A majority of gig workers filed their claims when they were first able to do so on May 16 and are still waiting on their claims to be processed. Korbulic blamed the lack of phone support on “robocallers” jamming up the phone lines. She also said that fraud is a concern and that all claims must be verified for eligibility. CARES Act directives say that states should pay claimants as soon as possible. Gig workers held a protest on Friday in front of the Grant Sawyer Federal Building. Theories abound that Gov. Sisolak is purposely holding up funds from being disbursed, using CARES Act monies for purposes other than intended, and hoping that thousands of claimants will give up on collecting their claims so that the money can be diverted into the state’s rainy day or general fund. In the meantime claimants are starting to face evictions, falling further behind on bills, and having vehicles repossessed and their phones turned off. Claimants say that when they do get through on DETR’s “adjudication help line,” they’re being told in a lot of cases that “you’ll just have to wait.”
