State to pay $24 million to fix (unemployment) agency

[hippiechick]

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050917/BUSINESS/509170347

By Dana Knight
[e-mail]


The state's unemployment insurance division on Friday announced a $24 million plan to revamp and modernize the agency, which now has a backlog of 20,000 claims for compensation. The Indiana Department of Workforce Development said it has signed a contract with Carmel-based Haverstick Consulting Inc. to complete the Unemployment Insurance Modernization project by 2008. (Note: Haverstick Consulting is owned by Friend-of-Mitch and Conseco Robber Baron, Steve Hilbert)

The overhaul will completely automate processes for both claimants and employers, upgrading and adding computers to an "archaic framework of patchwork technology," said Ron Stiver, commissioner of the department. It will also give unemployed residents 24-hour self-service access to the agency's information.

The announcement comes as more than 20,000 jobless Hoosiers' unemployment claims remain backlogged. Some jobless residents are waiting as long as 13 weeks for their first unemployment check, some state lawmakers say.

The delay is being blamed on a restructuring of the department launched by the Republican administration of Gov. Mitch Daniels. The centralization, which required deputies from around the state to move to Indianapolis, resulted in nearly 80 staffers leaving their jobs and caused the department to be short-handed. The move is expected to save the department $1.7 million.


... more at link ...

[salin]

1. Hilbert gets to "fix" unemployment system/problem

now THAT is ironic (given how much unemployment he caused) Ya - lets give the fraudster/theif state tax dollars.

Isn't he under indictment?

[hippiechick]

2. Not indictment ...

... but he's still battling with conseco over the estate and whether it's ours since he defaulted on a gazillion dollars in bogus 'loans' he took out against the company to build it (before my time) .... that shady 'executive loan program' was a big part of what pushed the company into bankruptcy.


:hi: Salin !

[salin]

3. aren't some under indictment? How has he avoided it

and why is HIS company, of all companies, anywhere NEAR unemployment $ in Indiana?

:hugs: hippiechick!

[hippiechick]

4. They were investigated by the SEC

... but I don't think anything came of it aside from the federal Sarbanes-Oxley Legislation (Enron is partially to thank for that, too). Wendt (post-Hilbert CEO) might currently be under investigation or some kind of suit, but unfortunately -- the golden parachute cockroaches just keep on slippin' thru the legal cracks ...

We are in a shitload of trouble with the Florida Dept of Insurance for our "really old people's" block of business ... but not being in legal anymore, I'm not privy to the scoop.

[SpeedwayDemocrat]

5. Problems before Mitch got to it...

There were delay problems with those getting checks back more than two years ago. In 2002, I was unemployed and the online filing system only worked sporadically. Therefore, I had to go to the office in person and wait in line to file. The lines were huge even back then. One day, I was completely fed up when I finally made it to the counter. I asked the employee why there was always a back-log. Her reply - "Well, we're short-staffed..." I raised my voice and announced "Hey - I know where you can get some employees who want to work -- right here in this line -- so that's a bull*&^% excuse." Those in line with me applauded wildly, and I thought I was going to be thrown out by the 90-year-old security guard. This back-up has been going on for years, and will continue no matter who gets the contract - let's face it -- the State doesn't want to give you that money one minute sooner than they have to!