DLIR launches three tools for Unemployment Insurance claimants

The Hawai‘i State Department of Labor and Industrial Relations (DLIR) will launch three new tools in its Unemployment Insurance (UI) claim portal over the next few weeks. New Work Search and Wage Calculator tools went live on Thursday, and 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 current unemployment insurance claims process easier for claimants, while we’re simultaneously developing a new platform to replace the legacy application on the mainframe,” said DLIR Director Jade T. Butay.

“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 UI Administrator Anne Perreira-Eustaquio.

Work Search Reporting Tool

The work search reporting tool will help claimants keep track of their search for work and simplify reporting. Claimants will have the option to 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 now 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 to 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 weekly report all work performed and wages earned for the department to determine their benefit amount for that week. 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.