Thousands of individuals with pending identity verification issues on their unemployment claims will have those resolved this week as part of the Louisiana Workforce Commission's (LWC) partnership with federally certified identity verification provider ID.me.
LWC's partnership with ID.me has expanded to include claims filed prior to May 5, 2021, that still need identity verification required by federal regulations. Individuals with pending identification verification issues will be notified when filing their weekly claim certification on the HiRE site and briefly redirected to ID.me's website to create an ID.me account and verify their identity, according to an LWC release. Claimants should go through this process regardless of whether they have previously uploaded identity verification documents to their HiRE accounts. Once the individual's identity is verified through ID.me, the claimant will be able to proceed with filing for weekly benefits, and the ID verification issue that was pending on the claim will be cleared.
"This latest enhancement to our unemployment claim process aims to help claimants verify their identity quickly and keep their claim moving forward," said LWC Secretary Ava Cates. "By using the ID.me service, information that could take weeks to manually review can be automatically submitted and verified in minutes."
The automated self-service ID verification process takes about five minutes to complete for the majority of users.
Claimants needing ID verification are being encouraged to file for weekly benefits between the hours of 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the event they need additional assistance via video chats with trained representatives on call.
The LWC advises those who choose not to use ID.me for identity verification that the minimum review time for their claim will be lengthened by several weeks. ID.me is not available if filing for weekly benefits via LWC's interactive voice response phone system or through Call Center assistance.
Claimants who did not receive an email about the new ID.me process from LWC or were not notified during the weekly certification process are not impacted by this enhancement and do not need to contact LWC.
Here are a few tips for successful ID.me verification:
- Ensure all documentation is current and not expired
- Create a clear digital copy of your documents
-Match the orientation to the document-Turn off the flash to reduce glare
-Place your document against a dark background
-Make sure there are no other objects in the photo
- Take the photo straight on, not at an angle
- Your document should fill up as much of the frame as possible without cutting any of it off. All 4 corners should be visible
- Make sure your submission does not contain any errors or typos
- Your phone number must be associated with your name and address
Common reasons for self-service ID.me failure include:
- ID document photo may be blurry or shadowed, or otherwise unreadable
- Data sources - like credit bureaus - may have incorrect, insubstantial or outdated information. Common reasons include thin credit files, individuals with name changes, and individuals without a permanent address
- Credit history may be nonexistent
- Phone number may not be associated with their name
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere.
To reach the newsroom or report a typo/correction, click HERE.
Sign up for newsletters emailed to your inbox. Select from these options: Breaking News, Evening News Headlines, Latest COVID-19 Headlines, Morning News Headlines, Special Offers
