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| Offices Closed with Reduced Services at Some Locations | ||
| 10/09/2009 | ||
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CONTACT: Tom Fuller WorkSource Oregon Employment Department 503-947-1301 thomas.e.fuller@state.or.us On Friday, October 16, Oregon Employment Department administrative offices will be closed due to state budget reductions. This includes Unemployment Insurance Centers. Most WorkSource Oregon Centers will also close or have reduced services. The closures are at the direction of the Department of Administrative Services. What does this mean for Oregonians seeking services from the Oregon Employment Department? Below is an outline of basic services provided by the department and the effects of the closures. Filing a weekly claim for benefits The filing of weekly claims will not be affected by the closure. Claimants may either call the Employment Department weekly claim line, or go online to file their weekly claim on Sunday or any day thereafter as usual. There will be no delay in payment of benefits for those filing their weekly claim. Filing a new claim or re-starting an existing claim for unemployment benefits Oregonians may file a new claim for benefits online at www.WorkingInOregon.org/ocs no matter the day or the time. However, new claims filed online Friday October 16 will not be processed by Employment Department staff until the following week. Oregonians without Internet access can still call the Employment Department on October 16th to get the process for their new claim started. Here are the specifics of that process:
The advantage to calling the Employment Department to get your claim started is
Filing for an unemployment extension Individuals will not be able to file for any of the unemployment insurance extension programs on October 16. In order to file for an extension (Emergency Unemployment Compensation, or EUC, High Extended Benefits, or HEB, or Oregon Emergency Benefits, or OEB), individuals must call and speak to a claims taker. They will be able to do so beginning Monday, October 19. Backdating an application for an extension to October 16 will be considered based upon individual circumstances. Correspondence from the Employment Department asking for a reply by October 16 Anyone who received correspondence from the Employment Department asking for a reply by October 16, 2009, will have those deadlines extended to Monday, October 19, 2009. This would include filing a request for hearing. For questions regarding unemployment benefits Many questions regarding unemployment benefits may be answered on the Employment Department’s Web site: www.WorkingInOregon.org. By clicking on “unemployment insurance” in the left-hand menu, then scrolling down to the heading “General Information,” individuals will find a list of resources including a Frequently Asked Questions section. In most cases, claimants may find answers to unemployment questions here and would not need to call the unemployment insurance center. What level of service can Oregonians expect on Monday, October 19? The Employment Department has taken measures to ensure the best service possible to Oregonians once offices re-open. The department has aggressively investigated problems in the telephone and automated systems, and has identified ways to increase call capacity to the unemployment insurance call centers. The department also has increased capacity of its online claims system to take more claims simultaneously. During the week ending October 3, 2009, for instance, the Employment Department handled claims for 170,505 Oregonians, paying out more than $52 million. Which WorkSource Oregon Centers will be closed? The following WorkSource Oregon Centers will be closed October 16, 2009: Astoria Albany Corvallis Coos Bay Dallas Eugene Florence Gresham Hermiston Hillsboro La Grande Lebanon Lincoln City Medford McMinnville Newport North Portland Ontario Oregon City Pendleton Roseburg St Helens Salem Springfield The Dalles Tillamook Tualatin Woodburn The following WorkSource Oregon Centers will be open October 16, 2009 with limited service available to the public: Baker City Bend Brookings Burns Canyon City Grant Pass Hood River Klamath Falls Lakeview Madras Prineville Redmond |
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