Gov. Sisolak Appoints New Acting Director And Task Force Leader For DETR
Governor Steve Sisolak finally took some definitive action towards helping the staggering Nevada Department of Training and Rehabilitation (DETR). Sisolak announced yesterday that he’s appointing a new acting director of DETR, Elisa Cafferata, who is the deputy administrator for field operations in Nevada’s welfare division. Sisolak also named former state assemblywoman Barbara Buckley as leader of a “rapid response task force” leader. Buckley is currently executive director of the Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada. Sisolak says the appointments are being made to help DETR address the huge backlog of claims and to help get benefits out to claimants faster. The governor also signed a bill which will give DETR more flexibility in getting claims paid and will extend the number of weeks claimants are eligible for additional benefits. Sisolak continued during his announcement to tout how much money Nevada has paid out in benefits but says he realizes many people are still “waiting for resolution of their claims.” Much of the focus will be on the enormous amount of claims filed by gig workers, self employed and independent contractors for PUA benefits. There are thousands upon thousands of those claimants who filed their claims on May 16 and have received no payments at all. The class action lawsuit against DETR is in appeal status as the judge in the case gave DETR more time to “show progress” and did not find them in contempt for failing to pay the workers deemed eligible during the hearing on June 21. The judge is expected to give an update at 11am this morning.
