Friday, January 5, 2024
Agency to Partner With ID.me to Verify Claimant Identities, Claimants Encouraged to Submit Identification Materials Ahead of February 5
(WASHINGTON, DC) Today, the Department of Employment Services (DOES) announced a new Unemployment Insurance (UI) Benefits System that will launch on Monday, February 5, 2024. This system will streamline applying for and processing UI benefits claims to increase ease of access for residents in need, and will feature a new identity verification component, managed in partnership with ID.me, designed to counteract benefits fraud and ensure claimants receive their benefits.
“I am ecstatic to share a significant milestone in our commitment to better serve the District. Our unemployment system has undergone a comprehensive upgrade to enhance the overall experience for claimants and employers,” said DOES Director Dr. Unique Morris-Hughes. “Streamlined customer communications, an easy mobile user experience, and robust fraud prevention tools will be a game changer for everyone that uses this new system.”
Starting February 5, UI benefits will be managed through a modernized, single-service portal that will allow claimants and employers to:
“I am ecstatic to share a significant milestone in our commitment to better serve the District. Our unemployment system has undergone a comprehensive upgrade to enhance the overall experience for claimants and employers,” said DOES Director Dr. Unique Morris-Hughes. “Streamlined customer communications, an easy mobile user experience, and robust fraud prevention tools will be a game changer for everyone that uses this new system.”
Starting February 5, UI benefits will be managed through a modernized, single-service portal that will allow claimants and employers to:
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Submit and request vital documents, including 1099 forms.
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File new claims and check the status of pending claims and appeals.
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Communicate with DOES benefits representatives from within the application platform,
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Access and manage claims from mobile devices, including smartphones and tablets.
As part of the system upgrade, all claimants will now be required to verify their identity through ID.me, a federally certified identity verification service that specializes in assisting government agencies deliver benefits to residents.
Claimants are strongly advised to verify their identities through ID.me DOES portal before February 5 to ensure benefits continue to be distributed. Claimants can learn more about how to create an ID.me account and the documents and devices required to verify their identity through this step-by-step guide to ID.me.
Ahead of the new UI Benefits System’s launch on February 5, there will be a slight transition period that begins the evening of Monday, January 29 to Sunday, February 4, 2024. All initial claims and continued claims for the week ending January 27, 2024, must be submitted by Monday, January 29, 2024, no later than 9:00 PM.
Claimants who do not file for unemployment benefits on Monday, January 29, 2024, by 9:00 PM, will be required to wait until Monday, February 5, 2024 to file. Failure to certify on Monday, January 29, 2024 may result in the delayed disbursement of payments by up to two weeks.
For more information on the switch to the new UI Benefits System, click HERE or call (202) 724-7000 to speak with a DOES benefits representative.
Claimants are strongly advised to verify their identities through ID.me DOES portal before February 5 to ensure benefits continue to be distributed. Claimants can learn more about how to create an ID.me account and the documents and devices required to verify their identity through this step-by-step guide to ID.me.
Ahead of the new UI Benefits System’s launch on February 5, there will be a slight transition period that begins the evening of Monday, January 29 to Sunday, February 4, 2024. All initial claims and continued claims for the week ending January 27, 2024, must be submitted by Monday, January 29, 2024, no later than 9:00 PM.
Claimants who do not file for unemployment benefits on Monday, January 29, 2024, by 9:00 PM, will be required to wait until Monday, February 5, 2024 to file. Failure to certify on Monday, January 29, 2024 may result in the delayed disbursement of payments by up to two weeks.
For more information on the switch to the new UI Benefits System, click HERE or call (202) 724-7000 to speak with a DOES benefits representative.