Press Release  Healey-Driscoll Administration Launches New, Modernized Unemployment Insurance Technology System

BOSTON — The Healey-Driscoll Administration has successfully launched a new, modernized system for current and future claimants seeking UI benefits. Known as the Employment Modernization Transformation (EMT) project, this new system replaces the Department of Unemployment Assistance’s (DUA) old UI Online system and introduces an enhanced customer service experience featuring increased accessibility, modernized technology, and enhanced tools for fraud prevention.

“Our residents deserve a modern unemployment system that is easy to navigate and gets them their benefits in a timely manner,” said Governor Maura Healey. “In the first two weeks of this new system, wait times are down dramatically, with more agents ready to assist customers and 24/7 services available. We continue to seek out new ways to deliver efficient, high-quality services to the people and businesses of Massachusetts.”

“Losing a job is stressful for anyone, and our residents need to know that we have their backs,” said Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll. “This new system makes the process easier for claimants and ensures benefits are delivered in a timely manner so they can focus on the next step in their career.”

The new unemployment services system builds on the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s commitment to strengthen DUA’s operations and improve customer service for impacted workers and employers. Over the past year, DUA implemented a new, industry-leading call center platform, added staff capacity to significantly reduce call wait times, co-located DUA staff at MassHire career centers regionally, enhanced program integrity efforts to increase fraud prevention and detection, and improved DUA’s online presence.

Since the new system was successfully launched on May 6:

• Customer Service: An additional 140 agents were added to the call center leading up to the launch, helping claimants with call times now ranging between 5 to 10 minutes compared to more than 2 hours in January; claimants also now use new self-service options that are available 24 hours a day.
• Device Usage: More claimants are accessing the system through their mobile device (56 percent) compared to desktop (43 percent) or tablets (1 percent), highlighting the use of the new mobile feature
• Claimant Feedback: DUA has received an average claimant feedback rating of 4.5 out of 5, with benefit claim filing and weekly certifications receiving the highest satisfaction
• Language Accessibility: More than 2,200 claimants have utilized the system in Spanish, also highlighting this new language access feature; certification by phone continues to be offered in English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Cantonese.
• Certifications: More than 249,000 weekly certifications have been successfully completed
• Payments: More than 154,000 benefit payments have been made

“DUA is committed to improving operations and communication with impacted workers and employers, and the launch of this new, modernized UI system marks a major milestone in our efforts to serve customers,” said Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development Lauren Jones. “The team is excited to continue to promote and introduce the new system as we also continue to strengthen DUA operations, customer service, and the overall user experience as claimants focus on securing employment opportunities in Massachusetts.”

“When we came together to rebuild the unemployment claims experience, we did so with the goal of improving accessibility and the user experience for our constituents,” said Technology Services and Security Secretary Jason Snyder. “The customer digital experience has been a true North Star within this administration, and I am so thankful to Secretary Jones and her entire team for leading this project to ensure that the unemployment insurance online experience is simple, secure, accessible and consistent across all modernized applications.”

The EMT project is a multi-phased strategy to modernize DUA UI system. The first phase of the project launched September 2023 to provide employers and third-party administrators (TPAs) with improved functionality for managing unemployment services activities online. This latest phase focused on the claimant experience to deliver a transformational UI experience to the Commonwealth’s employers and residents by:

• Operational Efficiency: Enable DUA staff to solely focus on timely and high-quality service delivery and eliminate inefficient, ineffective, or unnecessary business processes to provide better service to customers
• National Leadership: Massachusetts will be among top performing states on federal performance measures, with a focus on timely, high-quality, and effective service
• Modernizing technology: new process for uploading information, like wage or employment details, improving the system’s usability.
• Timely Benefits: Deliver timely and accurate benefits; unemployment payments, career services, and job placement assistance
• Enhancing customer experience: Provide an improved and widely-accessible claimant experience online, by phone, and in person
• Accurate, Timely, and Responsive Reporting: Ensure that data and reporting are accurate and timely, and can respond to all stakeholders’ needs 

In April 2022, FAST Enterprises, LLC was selected as the vendor in identifying and implementing software, hardware, and service delivery process improvements for DUA’s UI system. The Healey-Driscoll Administration is also underway with the next phase of the EMT project, from unemployment to reemployment, focused on modernizing the state’s workforce system including new digital strategies and business process improvements led by the Department of Career Services and in support of the MassHire career center network statewide.

“Today’s announcement is the culmination of years of dedication to our team’s vision of offering services that are easier to use, accessible to all, and put the customer first at all times,” said Executive Sponsor of Employment Modernization & Transformation Rick Jeffers. “By working collaboratively with a wide range of stakeholders, and gathering valuable input, the workers and businesses that DUA serves should see a much improved and positive user experience.”

“Our team is committed to providing claimants with the resources that allow them to feel secure while they’re looking for work. With our new online portal, we’ll provide personalized services, increased self-service options, and access to more information,” said Director of the Department of Unemployment Assistance Katie Dishnica. “Claimants can access more information and self-service options, 24 hours per day, through our customer facing online portal that can now be accessed via computer, phone, or tablet in both English and Spanish. By updating our business processes and systems, we are better able to meet the changing needs and expectations of our customers.

Claimants are encouraged to call Unemployment Customer Assistance at (877) 626-6800 or visit www.mass.gov/DUA for any questions. For more information about the new system, please visit mass.gov/unemploymentservices.

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