NBC News
… Another concern is whether states have the institutional framework to address the surge in demand. Multiple states have reported their unemployment websites crashing, and many have complained that they are unable to reach their state offices on the phone — some are even unable to pay out all the unemployment claims they have received. “A sleeper issue for this is the ability for states to process this surge in enrollment,” said Joan Alker, executive director of the Center for Children and Families at Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy. “States have had to move to telework, many are understaffed to begin with and some of their workforce may get sick,” Alker said. “I very much doubt most states can move to telework as easily as, let’s say, Google.” (McCausland, 4/3)
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