Residents will not be able to file initial claims through the state Labor Department’s online DirectBenefits from Tuesday afternoon until Wednesday afternoon as the department installs upgrades to the online unemployment insurance benefits system.
A statement from the state Department of Labor says DirectBenefits will be unavailable for initial claims from 3 p.m., May 2 to early afternoon on May 3, but you can still file continued claims through www.FileCTUI.com, by selecting the green message box, or you can use the TeleBenefits phone system.
“As we enhance the online initial claims system to better serve our customers, we appreciate their understanding,” State Labor Commissioner Scott D. Jackson said in a statement. “Should the upgrade be completed any sooner, updates will be posted to our website.”
“This upgrade is designed to help our staff process unemployment insurance claims more efficiently and with fewer keystrokes,” Jackson said in a statement. “While the majority of our customers – those filing a continued claim – will not be affected by this upgrade, we are making every effort to minimize the downtime to our online site for initial claims.”
While first-time filers can use the TeleBenefits phone system to file, it might be difficult to reach a representative because of increased usage, the department warns.
Get progress updates to the upgrade timeframe on to the Labor Department’s website.
