The state Department of Labor & Industrial Relations (DLIR) today announced it will not open statewide offices as planned on September 7, 2021 due to the significant increase in COVID-19 cases. In an effort to better serve the public during this time, the DLIR will expand telephone appointments for claimants with general inquiries and launch telephone appointments for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) claims and for Employer Services. The DLIR will also continue to operate its call center.

“The high level of community transmission of COVID-19 makes it extremely difficult to ensure the safety of our customers as well as staff,” said DLIR Director Anne Perreira-Eustaquio. “However, we recognize how equally important it is that we continue to serve the public as best as we can, and we are rolling out several new initiatives to enhance our services to the community. We will continue to assess the situation and hope to again offer in-person service as soon as the situation allows.”

New initiatives starting on Tuesday, September 7, 2021, include offering:

• Expanded telephone appointments (from three days to five days a week) for claimants with general inquiries,
• Telephone appointments for PUA claims (PUA is a program that provides unemployment assistance benefits to individuals who are not eligible for regular unemployment insurance), and
• Telephone appointments for Employer Services inquiries such as employer registration and the online filing and collection of employer state unemployment taxes to ensure compliance with Hawaii Employment Security laws.

These initiatives are in addition to the new telephone appointment system announced last week for claimants to schedule appointments to speak with a claims examiner.

Access to all appointments is available via the web (Chrome or Microsoft Edge) at: labor.hawaii.gov/ui/appointments/.

Important note: None of the benefits described above, nor unemployment benefits of any kind, are available to employees who are terminated for cause, quit their job without good cause, or refuse to return to work. Attempts to collect benefit payments in these situations could be viewed as fraudulent. Investigation of job separation is part of the eligibility determination process.

Additional details for the expanded and new telephone appointments for general unemployment insurance, Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), Employer Services inquiries and Adjudication. Nearly 1,700 weekly appointments are available as follows:

• Adjudication Telephone Appointments – 30-minute appointments will be offered Monday through Wednesday. The first appointment will be held on Aug. 23.
• General Unemployment Insurance Claims Telephone Appointments – 20-minute appointments will be offered Monday through Friday. The first appointment will be held on Sept. 7.
• Employer Services Telephone Appointments – 30-minute appointments will be offered Monday through Friday. The first appointment will be held on Sept. 7.
• PUA Telephone Appointments – 30-minute appointments will be offered Monday through Wednesday. The first appointment will be held on Sept. 7.

“The 1,692 appointments available weekly will facilitate resolution of all types of unemployment insurance and assistance issues while helping ensure the safety of our customers and staff during this current Delta-driven COVID-19 outbreak,” said DLIR Director Anne Perreira-Eustaquio. “The efficiencies of this new appointment system will allow us to provide higher service levels than an in-person approach.”

Appointments are now open for Adjudication. All other telephone appointments will open up on August 24. All appointments can be scheduled via the web (Chrome or Microsoft Edge) at: labor.hawaii.gov/ui/appointments/.

Appointments must be scheduled with the appropriate section that can service the individual’s claims. General unemployment insurance appointments must also be scheduled with the appropriate island office specific to where the individual lives. Language interpretation services can be requested through the appointment system. Appointments are restricted to the registered person on the appointment schedule.

Important note: None of the benefits described above, nor unemployment benefits of any kind, are available to employees who are terminated for cause, quit their job without good cause, or refuse to return to work. Attempts to collect benefit payments in these situations could be viewed as fraudulent. Investigation of job separation is part of the eligibility determination process.

For more information please visit: https://www.hawaiiunemploymentinfo.com/.

For more information about unemployment insurance and other labor issues please visit the FAQs at https://labor.hawaii.gov/covid-19-labor-faqs/.