WESTBROOK, Maine (AP) Officials with the Maine Department of Labor said the department is pausing the processing of unemployment benefits for 48 hours to investigate fraud.
The department also said it’s reinstating its normal 10- to 14-day processing time for unemployment claims as it seeks to enhance security of the unemployment benefit system. The department said Tuesday the move is coming as the state is partnering with the federal government to crack down on fraud.
“The Maine Department of Labor takes its responsibility to uphold the integrity of the unemployment program very seriously,” Commissioner Laura Fortman said. “MDOL will continue to work with our federal and state law enforcement partners to investigate and prevent fraud while paying benefits to eligible Maine workers as quickly as possible.”
The state had expedited processing in response to unprecedented numbers of jobless claims. More than 138,000 Maine residents have filed a claim for unemployment benefits since March.
States around the country have grappled with unemployment fraud in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, a Maine Republican, said state and federal agencies are working to avert schemes in which “criminals using stolen personal information to file fraudulent claims with state unemployment systems.”
