Va. Democratic lawmakers call For unemployment benefit reforms

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) – Dozens of Democratic Virginia lawmakers are calling for reforms at the state agency tasked with handling unemployment benefits, saying in a letter that they were concerned about its ability to “adequately address” the high volume of claims due to the COVID-19 crisis.

Republicans lawmakers, who were not invited to sign the letter, have also been raising concerns about the Virginia Employment Commission.

The agency has been swamped with an unprecedented number of benefits claims amid the pandemic. It has increased staffing, redeployed existing staff, upgraded phone lines and brought in a third-party call center. But issues have persisted.

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