PIERRE, S.D. (KELO.com) — The State Labor Department is asking South Dakotans applying for unemployment benefits to keep in mind that these are not normal times.
Labor Secretary Marcia Hultman says she’s not even asking people any longer to be patient on the phone, as her department handles historic levels of calls.
“Instead I’m asking people to just please be considerate. The reality is that there are many claims in cue to be processed.”
Hultman says that please remember that the person on the other end of the line is not responsible for the rules and regulations.
She does say that once you get through, nearly 75 percent of claims are being processed and paid in a timely manner.
Extra workers and extra phone lines are now handling thousands of calls for benefits at a time of year when the state usually processes less than 200 claims a week for unemployment benefits.
