Jobless? Hey, the phones still work

With the Lansing area’s jobless skyrocketing to 12.3 percent, it’s fortuitous that unemployed workers can now apply for benefits 24 hours a day through an automated telephone service.

Officials with the Department of Energy, Labor and Economic Development announced the new hours Thursday, saying that jobless persons now can dial the automated system 24 hours a day, six days a week, from Monday through Saturday, Gongwer News reported.

Formerly, the phone system ran from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Those needing the help of an actual Unemployment Insurance Agency staff member must call from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday.

State officials have steadily been making improvements to their computer systems after thousands of new jobless applicants began flooding the system in December, causing lengthy delays in receiving and processing claims.

Now if only state officials can do something about that pesky jobless rate.