As unemployment rises across the country due to the pandemic, more people than ever are applying for unemployment insurance benefits, including gig workers and other self-employed individuals who, under normal circumstances, are not typically eligible for these benefits. Unfortunately, the current situation provides the perfect storm of opportunity for nefarious actors attacking the nation at a vulnerable time.
This has placed added pressure on state agencies that now have to process a surging amount of unemployment benefit requests in a secure and timely manner, often times relying on systems that are not up to the task.
Some of this is being addressed, per President Biden’s new plan. The Secretary of Labor would be authorized to use the funds directly to develop system-wide program integrity solutions and address access barriers or processing backlogs, distribute funds to state and territorial Unemployment Insurance programs for these purposes, or make transfers to the Office of the Inspector General, the Department of Justice, or other agencies to support unemployment fraud investigations or prosecutions.
Please fill out our form to read our Government Computer News (GCN) EXPERT Q&A, "Taking Control of Identity Verification," and learn how agencies can best protect themselves and their customers, including what they should look for in a technology solution and vendor partner.
