Pandemic Darlings The pandemic economy, in original documents
Home Source documents Virginia Employment Commission Quarterly Report: Outstanding Adjudications, Ombudsman (July 12, 2023)

Virginia Employment Commission Quarterly Report: Outstanding Adjudications, Ombudsman (July 12, 2023)

Summary

Letter dated July 12, 2023 from the Virginia Employment Commission (VEC) to Glenn Youngkin, Governor, Commonwealth of Virginia and the chairs of House Commerce and Energy, Senate Commerce and Labor, and the Commission on Unemployment Compensation, closing with the name Carrie Roth. It is the quarterly report required by the 2023-2024 Budget on the plan to resolve outstanding adjudications with issues established in 2020 and 2021. The letter states that as of the date of writing, in potential fraud and adjudication, there are no claims with issues established in 2020 or 2021. It also covers the Chief Customer Advocate position, stating that on April 26, 2023 a Chief Customer Advocate was named and that the Customer Advisory Council had its second meeting in April.

Summary drafted by a model from the document's text below and checked by script against that text before publication. It is a navigation aid, not a reading of what the document proves. Where AI is used

Cite this document

“Virginia Employment Commission Quarterly Report: Outstanding Adjudications, Ombudsman (July 12, 2023).” Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/2023-rd784-0997917977/, SHA-256 bc6ab87a9576023ceeffb1a53e33e5293c501c79039e6bd78019cdc0559af6da.

Full text

Carrie Roth
Commissioner                                                                             Post Office Box 26441
Advisor to the Governor for                                                          Richmond, VA 23261-6441
Strategic Initiatives
                                             July 12, 2023


  The Honorable Glenn Youngkin                         The Honorable Kathy Byron
  Governor, Commonwealth of Virginia                   Chairwoman, House Commerce and Energy
  Patrick Henry Building                               Pocahontas Building
  1111 E. Broad Street                                 900 E. Main Street
  Richmond, Virginia 23219                             Richmond, Virginia 23219

  The Honorable Richard Saslaw                         The Honorable Adam Ebbin
  Chairman, Senate Commerce and Labor                  Chairman, Commission on Unemployment
  Senate of Virginia                                   Compensation
  P.O. Box 396                                         Senate of Virginia
  Richmond, Virginia 23218                             P.O. Box 396
                                                       Richmond, Virginia 23218

  Dear Governor, Chairmen and Madame Chair:

  Per the 2023-2024 Budget of the Commonwealth of Virginia, the Virginia Employment
  Commission is required to provide a quarterly report on the plan to resolve outstanding
  adjudications with issues established in 2020 and 2021 and update on the Unemployment
  Compensation Ombudsman to the Governor, House Commerce and Energy Committee, the
  Senate Commerce and Labor Committee, and the Commission on Unemployment
  Compensation. This letter serves to meet that requirement.

  Resolving Outstanding Adjudications + All Issues on Claims from 2020/2021

  The VEC is tasked with developing a plan regarding the specific actions and timeline to resolve
  outstanding adjudications and issues established on claims from 2020 and 2021. The VEC has
  set its priorities and developed its strategic direction to transform the agency to be the “Best in
  Class” example of an employment security agency in the country.

  As of today, in potential fraud and adjudication, there are no claims with issues established in
  2020 or 2021.
Page 2


The Unemployment Insurance Benefits team is focused on meeting and then exceeding the U.S.
Department of Labor benefits timeliness and quality standards.

We have adjusted the work streams of the current adjudication staff as they have worked
through the backlog to support other work streams such as appeals and potential fraud. There
is not a need to hire additional staff to resolve claims.

Ombudsman (Chief Customer Advocate) Project

The Chief Customer Advocate position was created in 2022 to support individuals and groups
who are underserved or disadvantaged and address the availability of and access to UI
programs and services. On April 26, 2023, Equia Barnette was named Chief Customer Advocate.
Equia joined the agency during the pandemic as Customer Relations Supervisor after previously
working at the U.S. Department of Commerce, General Dynamics IT and Genworth Financial.

The Customer Advisory Council (CAC) held their second meeting in April. The CAC consists of
representatives from local and state organizations that advocate on behalf of underserved
populations. The CAC provides guidance and feedback to the Chief Customer Advocate and
team on the effectiveness of the VEC’s outreach efforts and areas where those efforts could be
improved.

The Chief Customer Advocate held a 3-day training in June with her team of 10 Customer
Advocates who work in Virginia Career Works Centers throughout the Commonwealth:
Wytheville; Richlands; Prince William County; Norfolk; Fishersville; Lynchburg; Martinsville;
South Boston; Henrico/Cedar Fork communities; and Petersburg/Emporia/Prince George
communities. This training focused on their community outreach in preparation for the initial
round of local partner meetings the Customer Advocates held in June. In addition to their work
with customers who have barriers to services, our local Customer Advocates are the referral
point for members of the General Assembly within the region they serve. There are four
remaining positions to fill.

The Chief Customer Advocate also provides educational information and assistance to persons
seeking assistance in appeals and other matters related to unemployment compensation. In
addition, the Chief Customer Advocate contributes as a key leader on our Plain Language
Project team to ensure all efforts keep the customer as the focus and foundation of
communications from the Virginia Employment Commission.

Please do not hesitate to contact me at carrie.roth@vec.virginia.gov or 804.786.3001 with any
questions.

                                                   Sincerely,



                                                   Carrie Roth

File and source

File
2023-RD784.pdf
Size
194,462 bytes
SHA-256
bc6ab87a9576023ceeffb1a53e33e5293c501c79039e6bd78019cdc0559af6da
Our copy
2023-RD784.pdf
Original
No public link identified.
Back to top