Oklahoma Employment Security Commission Improving Machines To Better Serve Oklahomans

The Oklahoma Employment Security Commission is working to better serve Oklahomans facing unemployment. OESC said it is not perfect but is constantly looking for ways to improve its workflow.

The agency began an 18-month digital transformation in September of last year.

Officials said all payments and claims are being processed manually through a 40-year-old piece of equipment that breaks down daily. It is a piece of technology Executive Director Shelley Zumwalt said could have been replaced 20 years ago and is ready for retirement.

The OESC is also constantly receiving complaints about fraudulent claims. Zumwalt said they are now requiring people to verify their identity digitally before filing a claim and renew that verification every 90 days.

The agency is also using a $1.2 million grant to enlist outside help. The OESC said it has decreased fraud by over 40% and offers a help hotline with a wait time of fewer than 10 minutes.

Call wait times are yet another point of contention, but Zumwalt said the call center averages less than a 36-minute wait with a 77% call resolution.

"You're never going to have a day that something new doesn't come up. It's just how you address it," said Zumwalt. "And I think the agency has shown time and time again that when we see a problem, we address it."

Zumwalt recommends avoiding Monday mornings and calling on a Thursday or Friday afternoon.