MEMPHIS, Tennessee —
The unemployment rate for Tennessee is soaring with more than 250,000 filing claims in the last month. The demand is overwhelming the system, but Tennessee's Department of Labor acknowledges many people are having trouble with its website.
With tens of thousands of people accessing jobs4tn.gov at all hours of the day, the state of Tennessee is working to fix response issues with the website.
To make the process easier, the state is working to implement a staggered certification schedule soon. This means applications would be certified in order, based on the last digit of your social security number. While you can't file for unemployment in person right now because of COVID-19, your options are applying through the website or over the phone for those who don't have access to a computer.
You can also apply each week for unemployment. On the Department of Labor's website, you can find the list of what you will need when you fill out the application. This includes personal information such as Social Security Number and driver's license number, employment info regarding your last day worked, your employment history for the last 18 months, and reason for separating from the job, and previous employer information.
While each claim is different and processes at a different speed, the Department of Labor said if someone is approved today and they then complete their weekly certification the following week, they will typically receive their benefits within 48-72 hours after completing their certification.
The department said there a variety of variables as to why a person would be denied benefits, but it says the most important thing is to answer each question and provide accurate information so the claim is not flagged for issues.