SitNews - Stories in the News - Ketchikan, Alaska

Department of Labor to pursue fraudulent activities, prevent misuse of UI program

 

June 15, 2020
Monday PM


(SitNews) Juneau, Alaska - Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development (DOLWD) Commissioner Tamika L. Ledbetter announced that Alaska continues to take measures to prevent fraud or misuse of the Unemployment Insurance (UI) program, including the expanded unemployment benefits under the CARES Act.

“The Department of Labor and Workforce Development will vigorously pursue all fraudulent activities to the fullest extent of the law,” said Commissioner Ledbetter.

Individuals commit UI fraud by knowingly submitting false information, knowingly continuing to collect benefits when ineligible, intentionally collecting benefits without reporting wages or income or not reporting when suitable employment or available work is refused.

If an individual refuses an offer of work because UI pays more than their weekly wage, is asking to be laid off, requests to have their hours reduced or quits available work so they can obtain UI benefits, they may be committing fraud. Employers should immediately report these activities for investigation.

Employers may send the following information to the UI office by email at uifraud@alaska.gov or by fax to (907) 375-9520. A representative will contact the business for additional information:

  • Business name
  • Contact information
  • Individuals first and last name
  • Last four of the individual’s social security number, if available
  • A brief description of the activity
The department takes fraudulent activities to collect UI benefits seriously. If an individual obtains benefits through fraud, the individual is ineligible for any additional benefit payments, must re-pay the benefits received and is subject to criminal prosecution.

Edited By Mary Kauffman, SitNews

Source of News:

Alaska Dept of Labor & Workforce Development
www.labor.alaska.gov

Representations of fact and opinions in comments posted are solely those of the individual posters and do not represent the opinions of Sitnews.



Send a letter to the editor@sitnews.us

Contact the Editor

SitNews ©2020
Stories In The News
Ketchikan, Alaska

 Articles & photographs that appear in SitNews are considered protected by copyright and may not be reprinted without written permission from and payment of any required fees to the proper freelance writers and subscription services.

E-mail your news & photos to editor@sitnews.us

Photographers choosing to submit photographs for publication to SitNews are in doing so granting their permission for publication and for archiving. SitNews does not sell photographs. All requests for purchasing a photograph will be emailed to the photographer.