Repeated computer problems over the past few days with Colorado's Unemployment Insurance program has made it extremely difficult for the state's unemployed workers to use the program's online system to file claims for either initial or continued benefits, according to various news reports.
Colorado government officials say that claimants can still use an automated phone system to file for continued benefits, and that new claimants can call a dedicated number. Reports are, however, that the phone lines have been overwhelmed because of the online problem, causing a lot of frustration and anger.
As of this morning, it was not clear when the online system problem will be resolved, although the hope was that it would be fixed by today.
Unemployment offices throughout the US have been having computer problems, as I blogged about here in January.
Finally, as noted in this Denver Post story, the current unemployment benefits computer system was supposed to be replaced in 2005, but after spending $24.2 million for a replacement, it was scrapped because it didn't work.
Robert N. Charette is a Contributing Editor to IEEE Spectrum and an acknowledged international authority on information technology and systems risk management. A self-described “risk ecologist,” he is interested in the intersections of business, political, technological, and societal risks. Charette is an award-winning author of multiple books and numerous articles on the subjects of risk management, project and program management, innovation, and entrepreneurship. A Life Senior Member of the IEEE, Charette was a recipient of the IEEE Computer Society’s Golden Core Award in 2008.
