Robert Asaro-Angelo

Unemployed workers aren't required to be looking for work during the pandemic – but they must still certify they're ready, willing and available to work.

Status messages about claims being pending or unpayable would gain details about the specific reason they're paused, under an upgrade planned in state budget.

State labor officials said this weekend that payments would begin going out to the 75,000 people who had lost their benefits extension.

A week after the state Labor Department started taking complaints, officials have received nearly 380 reports of workplace violations of the governor's executive order.

Senators question state labor commissioner on the pandemic response by the unemployment system but are sympathetic to the surge swamping an old system.

Starting Monday, Aug. 10, the Labor Department expands virtual services to its One-Stop Career Centers.

Employees in New Jersey who feel their health is at risk when at work due to a lack of COVID-19 protections can refuse to work and still receive unemployment benefits.

Signs of stabilization: Initial claims fell to a nine-week low and continued claims declined – substantially, in fact – for the first time during the pandemic.

Nearly $800 million in benefits were paid out in New Jersey last week. New filings include 51,000 from gig workers and 70,000 for traditional benefits.

One in 12 workers in New Jersey filed for unemployment in a two-week span. State urges patience as the system to file for benefits can't keep up.

Jump of 155,815 fueled by COVID-19 was a 16-fold increase from the week before and more than three times greater than any week on record.

Governor says state and federal programs to help virus-shocked businesses are coming but workers dropped from payroll may miss out on expanded sick-leave pay.