Appeals

Claimants can file an appeal when they believe that the unemployment system has falsely denied them benefits or the ability to apply for benefits. Most states have 2levels of appeals.

An electronic appeals tracking system can provide valuable information.

Ideally, states have an appeals tracking system that:

• Accepts electronic appeals filing
• Provides a plain language status update about the appeal
• Allows for reporting based on appeal reason

Short of this, we recommend at least using a dedicated mailing address for appeals and counting appeals by mail piece or by weight.¹

Volume and types of appeals are an important early indicator.

We recommend states keep a close watch on their appeals rates for any potential impact from other, upstream changes. Closely tracking the rate of appeals relative to claim volume is a critical early indicator that your attempts at thwarting fraud are diverting real claimants.

We also recommend that states review data on appeals rates — both raw volume and trends — in their integrated command centers.

Go to the next section: Technology

Notes

https://www.govops.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2020/09/Assessment.pdf