Spike in unemployment claims expected with stay at home order

SALEM, Ore. — The Oregon Employment Department said it’s ready for an influx of unemployment claims that will likely accompany Governor Kate Brown’s latest stay at home order.

On November 13, Brown announced a statewide “freeze” that starts on November 18. It’s expected to last at least two weeks. Some counties, like Multnomah, will likely be under the freeze order for a month or more.

After the news of the order broke, the Oregon Employment Department said it’s prepared to increase claims processing capacity with the support of the National Guard.

“While the Two-Week Freeze may not directly affect all businesses, we want Oregonians to know that we are in a much better place than we were at the start of the pandemic to respond to an uptick in unemployment claims. We are ready to take your claims and ensure you get your benefits as quickly as possible, whether through an existing benefit program or any new federal program that may get passed,” said acting director David Gerstenfeld.

Oregonians who are impacted by the latest stay at home order are encouraged to take OED’s Eligibility Quiz to find out if they may qualify for benefits.

Those who have returned to work after claiming benefits earlier on in the pandemic can restart the process by going to OED’s Online Claim System and selecting Restart Your Claim (the eighth button down).

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