MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Alabama Department of Labor Sec. Fitzgerald Washington announced Monday that ADOL has disbursed more than $164 million in COVID-19-related unemployment compensation benefits.
$164,523,955 has been paid to 103,453 claimants over the period covering March 16-April 18, 2020. This represents 227,358 weeks paid.
$132,328,900 of those funds are Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC), the $600 stimulus benefit added to weekly unemployment compensation benefits.
“ADOL is working hard to get these important benefits out to Alabamians in this tremendous time of need. More than $164 million in benefits have been pushed out to those who have become unemployed due to this pandemic,” said Washington. “We know that there are many who have yet to be paid, and we are working to get those claims processed quickly. It’s important to note that it can take up to 21 business days to process a claim, and with the added record-setting volume, it may take longer in some cases.”
He continued, “We have recently deployed a new online tool to help claimants keep track of their claims, and we continue to improve it as we see issues and needs develop. Hundreds of thousands of Alabamians are utilizing this tool. Additionally, we are adding another call center to help with call volume, with more than 60 additional staffers working to answer phones. We understand the frustration people have with difficulty in contacting us, and I urge everyone to please remain patient, and know that we ARE working to address your questions.”
The UI Claims Tracker can be located at https://uiclaimstracker.labor.alabama.gov/. Additionally, information and FAQs can be found at ADOL’s COVID-19 resource page at https://labor.alabama.gov/newsfeed/News_CovID19.aspx.
