State to launch 3 new online tools for those claiming unemployment

Hawai‘i residents claiming unemployment will soon have three new online tools to search for work, calculate their wages and pay back overpayments.

The Hawai‘i Department of Labor and Industrial Relations will launch the tools in its unemployment insurance claim portal. New work search and wage calculator tools will go live May 30. The online payment system is slated to go live during the second week of June.

“These tools are part of a package of improvements we’re rolling out to make the unemployment insurance claims process easier for claimants, while we’re simultaneously developing a new platform to replace the legacy application on the mainframe,” said state Labor Department Director Jade T. Butay.

Work search reporting tool

The work search reporting tool will help claimants keep track of their search for work and simplify reporting. Claimants can access this new feature throughout the week to record their activities in real time, eliminating the need to wait until their weekly claim certification to recall and enter their work search activities.

Additionally, the portal will keep a record of these work search activities so claimants do not need to keep their own copies offline. This recording feature also enables claimants to access a history of their work search activities and update entries to reflect changes.

Wage calculator tool

The wage calculator tool will help partially unemployed claimants calculate and report any wages they earn while collecting unemployment benefits. Claimants must report weekly all work performed and wages earned for the department to determine their benefit amount. This new wage calculator tool will provide claimants with a better understanding of what information the unemployment insurance program requires claimants to report and ensures more accurate reporting.

Online payment system

The online payment system provides claimants with the option to repay overpayments online via credit card, debit card, PayPal and eCheck. This online option supplements existing payment methods, which include paying in person or by mail.

“We beta-tested these tools with claimants and community organization partners to hear and incorporate their feedback, which proved to be an invaluable part of the process before implementation,” said Unemployment Insurance Administrator Anne Perreira-Eustaquio.

Click here to visit the state’s unemployment insurance website.