Warren, Sanders push Labor on plans to create a centralized unemployment ‘starting point’

Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., are asking the Labor Department for more information following reporting from Nextgov/FCW that Labor is planning to test out a more centralized role in unemployment insurance claims.

Labor told states in August that it planned to pilot a new unemployment.gov platform to intake claims and provide identity proofing and work authorization by the end of the year.

A DOL official told Nextgov/FCW on Tuesday that the government shutdown delayed the project, which is now expected to launch in the spring of next year with two to five states that have yet to be identified. They also said that the project won’t involve claims intake.

“This pilot is expected to serve as a starting point for initial UI claims that would provide both ID verification and work authorization services. Once those front-end services are complete, individuals will be directed to states to file their initial claims,” they said, noting that “DOL is not piloting initial claims intake or taking that function over on behalf of states.”

Warren and Sanders want more information about the pilot and how the data the department collects will be used by Jan. 7.

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