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Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers on Friday announced the ouster of Caleb Frostman, the workforce development secretary, citing his department’s delays in processing unemployment insurance claims. The Department of Workforce Development’s struggles leave jobless Wisconsinites waiting weeks or even months for income during the pandemic-induced recession.
Evers said he asked for and received Frostman’s resignation, which is effective immediately. Department of Corrections Deputy Secretary Amy Pechacek will lead the DWD’s transition until a new secretary is appointed, Evers’ office said in a news release.
“People across our state are struggling to make ends meet, and it is unacceptable that Wisconsinites continue to wait for the support they need during these challenging times,” Evers, a Democrat, said in a statement. “It is clear that our unemployment system has faced historic levels of claims these past few months, hindered in part by antiquated technology we inherited, and processes designed by Republicans to make it harder for folks to get these benefits.”
The DWD has received more than 6.5 million unemployment insurance claims since mid-March, and more than 713,500 claims (10.9%) have yet to be processed, according to data released Monday. Those claims represent more than 93,000 people.
The agency so far paid more than $3.68 billion to nearly 514,000 claimants during the pandemic, the data show.
Frostman and Democrats have blamed his agency’s slow pace on a chronically underfunded and outdated computer system and initial short staffing that left his agency ill-equipped to handle the rapid onslaught of claims. Republican lawmakers accused Frostman and Evers of lacking urgency — waiting too long to expand call center hours and shift employees to address the biggest problems.
More than 130 DWD employees were reassigned to the Unemployment Insurance Division during the pandemic, according to Evers’ office. The agency now has more than 1,500 people working on UI cases, a 250% increase compared to previous years.
For more on the state’s unemployment insurance crisis — and its impact on Wisconsinites — see our series Lives on Hold.
Top Stories
Tony Evers firing DWD Secretary Caleb Frostman over unemployment claim backlog — Wisconsin State Journal
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Emails detail effort to silence CDC and question its science — The New York Times
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Quotable
“The two words that come to mind are fear and hope — I’m fearful for my patients and the impact on healthcare system, but this is an incredible community … so the hope is we see this as truly an opportunity to change that trajectory in a really powerful way.”
— Dr. Elizabeth Cogbill with of the Gundersen Health System geriatrics department, speaking about La Crosse’s position as the nation’s fastest-growing COVID-19 hotspot, as quoted by the La Crosse Tribune
Food access trouble?
We know that when classes are virtual, many Wisconsin students and families lose access to food schools provide. And as the school year starts, some meal sites are closing. Share your experience with News414, Wisconsin Watch’s service journalism collaboration with Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service and Outlier Media. Click here for details.
Data to note
Here are the latest statewide visualizations of COVID-19 cases and deaths from our partners at WisContext.
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Job strategist shares secrets to search the ‘hidden job market’ — WTMJ-TV
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