How is the state employment commission handling a spike in claims amid the government shutdown?

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — As the government shutdown approaches its one month mark, the Virginia Employment Commission is noticing a spike in unemployment claims from federal workers.

A recent study by WalletHub ranked Virginia as the sixth most impacted state by the government shutdown. Without a clear end in sight, more Virginians are leaning on the Virginia Employment Commission for assistance.

8News spoke with Kerri O'Brien, Director of Communications, who said the agency has seen more federal workers across the Commonwealth apply for benefits.

“The Virginia Employment Commission is here and ready to help those individuals who may be impacted by the government shutdown and may be furloughed," O'Brien said.

O'Brien said the agency started unofficially tracking claims made by federal employees in February. Before October first, the agency reported receiving roughly 65 claims from federal workers every week.

Since October first, the agency has received about 2,200 claims from federal workers. The agency said a majority of those claims are from workers who were furloughed, showing a significant impact from the government shutdown.

“We understand that this is a difficult time and an uncertain time for them and their families, and we are here to assist and provide guidance through navigating the unemployment insurance process," O'Brien said.

Despite the increase, the agency said applicants are receiving their benefits on time or early than required as the overall unemployment benefit need in the state is down. The deadline set by the Department of Labor is 21 days.

"Our team is committed working daily to make sure that these claims are processed timely and going out to eligible applicants," O'Brien said.

While the amount of time the shutdown will continue is unknown, O'Brien said the agency is not worried about running out of benefits for eligible applicants.

Interested applicants can learn more about eligibility and application steps by visiting the employment commission website. Furloughed workers who receive retroactive pay after returning to work will be required to repay the commission for benefits received.