The Hawaiʻi Department of Labor and Industrial Relations (DLIR) is set to debut a new Unemployment Insurance (UI) Call Center tomorrow, with a follow-up launch of a streamlined web inquiry form on Dec. 19. These improvements aim to directly better service for the state's residents by making the access to the UI program more efficient and user-friendly.
"The upgrades will assist the public in obtaining information and support through improved navigation and language access," DLIR Director Jade T. Butay told the Office of the Governor. With the goal to constantly improve, the DLIR also plans to eventually replace their mainframe's legacy application with a newer platform. Specialized lines in the call center will include areas for regular unemployment claims, fraud and identity theft, overpaid benefits, Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), and employer services. Callers will now be able to more easily navigate their way to the correct service with a guided menu.
The newly revamped call center will not only offer menus in English but extend its reach by including dedicated lines in multiple languages, such as Cantonese, Ilocano, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Spanish, Tagalog, and Vietnamese. This expansion emphasises Hawaii's commitment to cultural diversity and accessibility, offering direct menu options and interpreter services for additional languages as required.
Furthermore, a new web form is designed to simplify and streamline email inquiries, set to be available in multiple languages including Ilocano, Japanese, Korean, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Chuukese, Marshallese, and English. UI Administrator Anne Perreira-Eustaquio expressed the department's aspirations, stating, "Our goal is to make the unemployment insurance system and processes as clear and easy to navigate as possible." She mentioned to the Office of the Governor that the updates are part of their "ongoing strategy and commitment to providing equitable access to services for Hawaiʻi residents."
Contact details for the Statewide UI Call Center were shared as well, with local residents being able to reach the service by dialing 808-762-5752 or toll-free at 1-833-901-2272. The web form will soon be accessible at the DLIR's official website. DLIR reinforces their dedication to aiding claimants with free language assistance services, including interpreter services and translated documents, to further support the claimant's needs.
