SC unemployment offices packed but computer shutdown sent many home

South Carolina Employment Security Commission offices were packed around the state Wednesday, as notices went out to many informing them that they may qualify for an additional 19 weeks of benefits.

There are two tiers of compensation levels; the first is for 13 weeks.

Then, South Carolinians are eligible for an additional 6 weeks because of the state’s high unemployment rate.

The funds were delayed because the state had to update it’s 25-year-old computer system to handle the additional funding.

The state usually distributes unemployment checks for 26 weeks, but four different federal extensions have made South Carolinians eligible for up to 99 weeks of benefits.

Some of the people in line at the Spartanburg office said the computer system crashed, sending over 100 people home without any new benefits.

Some we talked to had been at the office earlier in the day when the system crashed the first time, and were told to come back later in the day, only to have the system crash again.

But Clark Newsom, spokesman for the state Employment Security Commission, said Thursday that there was no computer crash or malfunction.

ESC offices are usually open until 5 p.m., but they’re staying open until 7 p.m. to handle the influx of people coming in to apply for the extended benefits.

The state ESC computers are shut down every night at 8 p.m. to reprogram them and get ready to print benefits checks the next morning.

So even though there were still people waiting in line in the Spartanburg office Wednesday night, the state computer still had to be shut down at 8 p.m.

The Spartanburg office was so crowded, that officials locked the doors at 7pm, and those inside were told it could be midnight before they would be helped.

But that was before the computer shutodown.

Those still in line when the system was turned off for the night were told they would be seen first Thursday morning, ahead of those who already had appointments. If you are planning on going to an ESC office Thursday morning, you may want to call ahead to see when you could be helped.

There will be extended hours Thursday, and extra hours Saturday to help all those who need extensions.

Below is Wednesday morning’s announcement from the ESC:

The South Carolina Employment Security Commission has begun taking claims for those individuals who are unemployed and may be eligible for two additional levels of federal Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC). The Worker, Homeownership, and Business Assistance Act of the EUC legislation allows for those who have exhausted all rights to previous emergency and/or extended benefits to possibly apply for the new EUC levels referred to as Tier Three and Tier Four. Tier Three provides 13 weeks of unemployment compensation while Tier Four offers six weeks of additional benefits.

If an individual receives a notice from the SCESC, this indicates a review of their claim shows that they may be eligible to receive benefits under this new program. Unemployed South Carolina residents who receive these notices from the Employment Security Commission should take them to their nearest workforce centers to file immediately for the EUC benefits. For the convenience of claimants, the working hours of SCESC workforce centers have been extended from 8:30am to 7:00pm on Wednesday and Thursday, December 16-17, 2009, and on Saturday, December 19, 2009, from 8:30am-2:00pm.

Out-of-state residents should contact the Interstate Unit at 1-800-529-8339 or 1-866-397-2752 to file for these benefits.

Click on the video link to see cell phone footage shot by a person waiting in line to apply for benefits.