By Michael Mistroff
Baltimore Watchdog Staff Writer
Many Marylanders are experiencing problems with the state’s updated unemployment website, despite the Department of Labor’s claim that issues with its new portal have been resolved.
In September — as the state’s unemployment rate spiked to 7.2% — Maryland’s Labor Department launched BEACON 2.0, a refreshed version of its unemployment website that added new features as it modernized the system.
Immediately after the system update, however, Marylander’s suddenly found themselves frozen out of their unemployment benefits with their latest claim listed as being “On Hold” for unresolved issues with the new portal. Claimants have no way to understand exactly the issues that were holding up the process.
The Maryland Department of Labor did not immediately respond to The Baltimore Watchdog’s request for comment.
Meanwhile, frustrations among the jobless have been climbing.
“I’ve been waiting for almost two months and haven’t even received a card yet,” complained one Marylander identified as “Only-Sun9089” on a discussion website called Reddit. “My claim says active, I’ve done all of the certifications and my payments still say ‘On hold/ unresolved issues’ but no one can explain to me what the issues are. I’ve emailed people at unemployment directly and also used the form on the website and still haven’t heard back after a week. I need this money now before I get evicted.”
The complainant was among 250 who responded to one Reddit post published back in September inquiring about the issue in the Unemployment subreddit. The post apparently has served as a haven for many Marylanders seeking solace while unable to reach anyone at the Labor Department.
Attempts to phone the Department of Labor directly for help also have failed because of the overwhelmingly high volume of calls to the state.
“I was freaking out when I saw this yesterday,” Reddit user lvl21diglett wrote about the “On Hold” for unresolved issues. “I feel a little better knowing I’m not the only one in this situation. Every time I call, I get ‘we are unable to take your call at this moment’.”
Some Marylanders have gotten resourceful in their frustration, reaching out to state delegates for help.
“I got in touch with my delegate again and she’s calling me after her zoom meeting to get all my info,” Chase Benge said. “She said unless we speak to someone at an office and give them our info that unemployment won’t call us and try to fix it on [it’s] own.”
Benge also said he was contacted by the Maryland Labor Department about a week later.
“Someone from [Department of Labor] got in touch with me confirming there’s an error and saying they’re backed up and someone would schedule an interview soon,” Benge said. “That was probably three weeks ago with no word since.”
Putting claims on hold for unresolved issues must be a glitch caused by the new update to the site, reasoned Redditor Old_Construction1027.
“I had the same issue and I called and was able to get ahold of some and it is a glitch,” Old_Construction1027 wrote. “She said that once they fix it, payment should come through, could be sometime this week or get paid double next pay day. That was what I was told.”
Despite the Labor Department stating it had resolved the issues that claimants were reporting, Marylanders still report the same problem with filing claims in November. And, Labor Department officials still are difficult, if not impossible, to reach.
To add to the frustrations, some Marylanders followed the Department of Labor’s advice to use the new BEACON 2.0 Mobile App and experienced the same problem when filing via their mobile device. The department’s website said the app has been downloaded by 169,000 claimants.
“Same problem for me and my partner,” Conoror11 wrote. “Used the app to file. The original beacon website has been updated, or is in the process of updating, and has removed the message center. No info provided.”
Although Maryland is seeing a surge in Coronavirus cases, state unemployment claims are at a decline. The Labor Department reported 17,254 new unemployment claims were filed in Maryland in early November, which is down from the 18,383 filed the previous week.
Prior to the Coronavirus pandemic, the Department of Labor reported 2,592 new unemployment claims per week in Maryland between Dec. 28, 2019, and March 7, 2020.
58 Comments
I am one of those thousands as well. They cut off my benefits mid-September and have told me that I am “high priority” to get paid – which was three weeks ago. Of course, nothing. If I am lucky enough to get through on the phone line, no one can tell me when it will be resolved, even though they have had my requested documents since July. Completely absurd. No excuse and no apparent resolution. I’m going into the holidays with no money, three months no benefits, no job, and no one at the Department of Labor gives a damn.
Same problem here payments on hold since the begining of Nov 2020. have called multible times a week. have been told several different things have opened a ticket and was told that its a high priority (yea right) lateist is I have a prior disqualacation for EB. Thats odd because I was nver imformed of that. HAVE PUT IN 2 inquirery with no answer to them… No money no answers
I have experienced multiple issues with MD PUA and more recently MD UI benefits. This will be 9 months to date I have been unemployed and stuck at home with a 7-year-old due to virtual learning. Some of my benefits came through and in a lump sum after a 4-month long wait–weekly payments through PUA were consistent weekly and then abruptly stopped for 6 weeks. Then by week 7 got the lump sum amount and then PUA benefits were coming to an end then I applied for regular UI benefits. I have been approved since early November but have yet to receive any payments! I am beyond furious as I cannot pay my bills and it will ruin the Christmas holiday for my son. I was told weeks ago that I need an interview with state adj. before getting my weekly pay, no word yet, no calls, no emails, nothing!!
I’ve been going through the same problems it’s so frustrating that you can’t even get a person to answer the phone, worst Christmas Ever for my family!
Same problem here, I filed in July and my unemployment benefits have been on hold due to unresolved issues.
I filed in june got card in August….Payments on Hold…..Unresolved issues
Status is active waiting on adjudication for fact finding. Un employed since March.
Does anyone know what to do in this situation? I was approved 09/26 and still have not received a card and all payments are “On-Hold.” I see no action items or issues with my filing.
Also, I was a student last year with just a 1.5 month internship so my taxes did not reflect much in terms of income. This year I graduated and was working full time which significantly increased my income. Is there any way to get them to consider this year’s income instead of taxes from 2019? The payments that are on hold cannot cover bills let alone student loan payments…
I BEEN ON HOLD FOR WEEKS OVER A MISTAKE AND THEY TOLD ME THEY CANT HELP ME I HAVE TO WAIT FOR A NOTHER DEPTMENT LIKE IM GOING BE HOMELESS BY THEN
I received unemployment from April but suddenly in November my benefits stop and extended again but from November my payment is on hold . I didn’t receive any money.
Still haven’t received payment been told for wks Idh to do anything else on my end there’s a glitch in the aystem & should be resolved in a wk still nothing?
Been waiting since September for my unemployment. Says “On Hold-unresolved issue-not unemployed” Call them every day never answer n when they do just tells me Im high priority and will get my telephone interview very soon…well Im def unemployed since I dont work and they say Im high priority on list to get my interview very soon well its been 5 months and still nothing!!!
Same issue here. Self employed. Agent on phone said there are two tickets filed but I have not received a call. She said due to me answering truthfully on whether employed full time I replied yes. Should’ve marked no. Asked if I could edit online. She said no. She put a note on file requesting to expidite case but I dont have any confidence that will help.
I have the same problem, unresolved issues on my unemployment.
I applied on Dec – 26/2020 and today is 01/15/2021 still the same.
Same issue here. On hold for unresolved issues. They have everything they need from both myself and my employer. You call and the agents and they can never help or resolve anything. Going on 3 weeks no payment.
same thing went from pua to ui payments bern on hold since november no emails no calls no interview no actions just says pending on eligibilty issues been outta work since May they suddenly stopped smh its very frustrating
I haven’t gotten a letter nothing and its going on 2 months since i filed. It keep saying unresolved issues but been calling for the last three weeks at all times of the day and still have not talked to anyone
No answer from unemployment
I HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY PAYMENT DINCE DECEMBER 26 2020! I NEVER WENT BACK TO WORK OR ANYTHING THEY JUST PUT ME ON HOLD AS SOON AS I REOPENED MY CLAIM!
I need help my claim status says active but says it’s on hold I am about to get evicted from my house I need help ASAP to get it resolved
I am having the same problem. My payment status is hold – unresolved issues. I was able to speak with someone on January 15, 2021 and was informed that the hold was going to be lifted and expedited. I have not received any benefits since December. I am unable to reach anyone by telephone. I understand now that your telephone number is recorded when you call and they know exactly who you are and how many times you are calling and they will automatically forward your call to one of the voice messages that will indicate that they cannot take your call at this time. I tried calling from another phone but after several attempts, I am getting the same voicemail. I want to call my state representative and/or the mayor’s office but am unable to get through to them as well. What recourse do we have? We are still tax-paying citizens even though we are not working right now. I can’t believe this is happening in America.
Been on hold-unresolved issues since sep12 2020 pretty sure I’m going to be homeless if someone doesn’t fix these issues
Same issue as all of the above, cut off after Dec 26th to now have unresolved issues…How are some of you speaking to someone? Are they contacting you?
I have the same issue on- unresolved issues. It has been 4 1/2 months. I have gotten through to live chat 3 times. Got a ticket number was told someone would call me within 2 weeks, it has been two months. They just keep saying someone will call. That is a joke. There must be some way to fix this.
Same problem. On hold, unresolved issues. Cannot get through on phone despite repeated attempts. I definitely qualify, I have no eligibility issues.
Same problem. I am still listed as active but “On Hold-Unresolved Issues” pertaining to my previous place of employment. Had to leave because my caregiver was no longer able to assist my kids with virtual schooling. I provided unemployment every piece of documentation they could possibly need, but still nothing. Only able to reach someone through the live chat once but that ticket number provided is useless if I can’t reach someone to follow up on it. I have reached out to my local legislator and the governor’s office but still nothing. I get I left late in the game, but my kids were failing school and my caregiver couldn’t handle it. I’m a single parent, so I was left with no other option than to leave and help my kids with school. This waiting game is just additional stress not needed in an already stressful situation.
I have not received any benefit payment since August 2020, nor explanation. This system is just awful!! I’m at the end of my rope! No way for working people to be treated.
I’ve been filing weekly since December 27,2020 on my reopened claim. Here I am 5weeks later and still no payment! My claim status is accepted, filed then unresolved issues/hold.
I’m a single household without dependents. So I’m about to be evicted and all utilities and phone cut off ! Anyone know where I can get help or assistance?
I have been experiencing the same thing with the payment being on hold due to unresolved issues since November 2020. It is ridiculous!!
I read somewhere that u have to upload your social security card front and back with your signature. They said 3 days later they were approved. Now 3 1/2 days later nothing. There is some talk of a possible class action suit.
I have did my husband claim every week and it is saying he is put on hold. And I been trying to talk to someone about that and no will answer the phone. What is going on.
I FEEL THE SAME AS U ALL DO… I HAVE BEEN WAITING 7 MONTHS. SO MY HEART GOES OUT TO ALL WHO REMAINS Eligible and on hold. Its ashame you work hard all your life and when u need it most, what do u get …
Active unemployment status but on hold due to unresolved issues. Preparing to file 2020 taxes which this form was available in my beacon account. No income to pay. No responses, no payments, no assistance everyday since December 27th. Congressmen is trying to help! So sorry this is happening to so many
I’ve been on hold since late December and have not been able to reach a soul at unemployment’s customer service number. Everytime I call, it says my call is being transferred but then it says that they cannot handle my call at this time and to call back at my convenience. I’ve been calling 10-12 times a day over these last 6 weeks and still haven’t reach anyone that could explain this process or why it is that I have not received a single payment. This is sad as I’m placing myself in debt waiting around for my unemployment and struggling to feed my family as I currently have no income as my layoff ends in March. Great job Maryland ?
In the same boat as most of you. Been “On Hold -Unresovled issues” for 3 months now. They have my info and my old employer said they sent their side of the information over as well. I read the Glitch theory and hoped it would have been corrected by now but it’s not. Been extremely rough going through it but it does help knowing that this is a statewide failure and not just a case of bad luck.
I filed a claim in December and have had no contact and cannot reach anybody. Emails are unanswered and it says it is on hold due to unresolved issues but there are no correspondence or action items so all I can do is keep filing weekly claims with no job or income
I applied fir unemployment January 15 . My status is active but on hod do to unresolved issues.
Has anybody had their interview yet?
I’ve been getting the “unresolved issue” bit since July. It’s now the end of February. Nobody answers the phone. Nobody answers an email. They’re going to owe me a buttload of money when this gets resolved. In the meantime, Hogan has a press conference bragging about unemployment being down. No wonder, egg head. How many more are out there like me?
Payment Status Hold – Unresolved Issues
I’ve sent emails twice with no response. Lost count of the many times I called the various numbers for assistance. System doesn’t operate correctly and countless of people are denied benefits. I file weekly certifications only for the payment status to inform me on hold – unresolved issues. No call, email, or correspondence to inform me of the reason for the hold or what information I need to provide to resolve problem. Eligibility issues has been in a pending status for more than 21 business days.
Same thing here. I’m almost more concerned about what this may do to consumer credit scores. Recently reached from poor to fair just to probably go down to poor all over again. Through no fault of my own. Other than being at fault trusting our Labor Dept ?
Finally I got through I called many many many times for the past three weeks my payment is on hold for un-resolved issues, then an action item to fill out saying that “I quit my job “I never quit my job they send a ticket to resolve the issue don’t know what kind of ticket but I still have not paid me for three weeks….what to do next?
I AM THROUGH THE SAME SITUATION OF “HOLD UNRESOLVED” DID NOT WORK ONE WHOLE WEEK, AND THE WEEK BEFORE MY MOTHER PAST AWAY, AFTER 4 MINTHS LOOSING MY YOUNGEST SISTER AND NEPHEW OF COVI19, I AM GOING BACK TO WORK TOMORROW AND HOURS CUT OFF SINCE THE PANDEMIC STARTED, 12 TO 20 HOURS ITS ALL I AM GETTING, AND DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO TO WHOM TO CONTACT AND WORST AS MANY SAID CALLED TO EVERY SINGLE NUMBER THAT SHOWS ON EVERY WEBSITE AND NO ONE ANSWERS.
ITS SO DESPERATE AND HARD SITUATION.
I sent them my driver’s license, social security card, birth certificate, and passport on January 24 after not receiving a payment since 12/14. My account just started to show active March 8 but all of the payments from December until now all say rejected. Now I’m hearing that a liaison at Bank of America has to activate my card again in order for me to receive my payments, and they aren’t sure how long that will take. No payments for 3 months and no idea when I’ll get it.
The real question is, why in the hell are we paying unemployment taxes in the first place if those funds cannot be accessed? That is the real fraud imo.
New to Unemployment and didn’t know I had to report my Military Retirement. So been trying to call that number for weeks to correct it. No one answers that number ever. So reported what it is weekly and been in a Hold pattern since Feb. Looking at old posts it looks like I will never get it. Looks like they are trying to hoard all that Federal Unemployment money. Democratic States. SMH.
I was awarded my back payments on April 6th by the Adjudicator, over $10,000 but now the system won’t let her pay me out, have to wait 30 more days or better to get someone to go in and do it manually she said.
Same problem. Except on hold unresolved issues since july2020. Since than the fact finding interview has been completed and my claim has expired. I still can NOT get an answer on while its on hold. Smh. I’ve worked, paid my taxes, and now I cannot get paid. Why.
Was wondering if anyone else had till 5/31/2021 to turn in proff of employment again and there payment was placed on hold! Had 5 more weeks to turn in what they asked for so why did i get put on hold for unresolved issues this week still have plenty of time to turn in paper work. Nothing like waking up to go to bank and get what i need an pay bills and this be the issue.
These issues continue into 2021. My payments have been on hold for six weeks and counting. The reason given is severance pay adjudication. It was already adjudicated and resolved back in January 2021 when I received my severance and I was penalized for weeks and didn’t get money until February. Then, in April 2021 it went on hold again for the same reason. Documents and attachments started disappearing from the system history and I would get email messages like “A document is attached to your claim” and there were no documents when I checked. When I do get through to someone on the phone (twice in two months) I’m told different things depending upon whom I talk to. I begin to think this system is still screwed up and or Hogan and his ilk are appeasing his core voter’s party line that “everyone on unemployment is lazy and not going back to work because of the federal money.” Seems like they are penalizing people who are unemployed or making it very difficult for them to receive the money they are entitled to until they get another job. My checking account is nearly depleted. No excuse for this degree of incompetence.
My unemployment Bank of America card was scanned and used to take my benefits back in February. I filed police report. They sent links for me to send proof of identity. I sent my SSC and DL photos in. They froze my account until May 3. Then I was told to file my back weeks and reopen my claim. Did that, then I got a link that said “separation information”. My former employer sent the necessary information to unemployment. My back money was put on hold as well as my payments going forward. Now I get an ” untesolved issue”
message. No money for months. Its just cruel! Now I know I’m not the only one.
Haven’t received my weekly
Check I keep getting the same thing ,on hold unresolved issues ,like many others I did everything correctly for a long time and when it was time to resubmit my claim on the website like they asked it then stopped paying out .
My unemployment stopped in December with my bill money still on BOA Card, and was told to send in documents because of possible fraud. I immediately sent in all my documents and was told that my case is under investigation. After countless emails and phone calls I finally got a payment the first week of July. I received payments for half of December and January. No payments for February Mar ch and April. Payments for May and two weeks of June. My payments was not full they said due to an over payment I have to wait up to 10 weeks for adjudicator to call me. One operator said up 7 to 10 days. I have went through living hell with this unemployment system.
My unemployment stopped in December with my bill money still on BOA Card, and was told to send in documents because of possible fraud. I immediately sent in all my documents and was told that my case is under investigation. After countless emails and phone calls I finally got a payment the first week of July. I received payments for half of December and January. No payments for February Mar ch and April. Payments for May and two weeks of June. My payments was not full they said due to an over payment I have to wait up to 10 weeks for adjudicator to call me. One operator said up 7 to 10 days. I have went through living hell with this unemployment system. An operator told me to refile my claim again since it was in my portal and another agent told me not to, that I should wait on the adjudicator. If anyone have any advice please help. Because it don’t make sense for them to send me a back payment for December and January then payments again for May and half of June and short because of an over payment on the system
It has happened to me the same thing since February 2021. Hold unresolved issue. I all I can. Unemployment office told me there are people waiting since October 2020. I have to wait. It looks like they don’t care. Maryland unemployment office is very sad. They don’t care!!!!.
You, as an employee do not pay the taxes that cover UI… the employers do
I am experiencing the same issue today, 8/18/2021..Has there since been any progress on who to reach for resolution?
Haven’t recieved benefits from July 20 to now. I’ve filed every week and portal still says unresolved issues. My bank account has now been eating itself and I’m in a hole. Majority of my bills are overlapping and late fees a piling. I’ve called gotten no answer got in touch with someone who took my information but never heard anything again. I NEED HELP!
I have been waiting since the beginning of November. I’ve been in a pending status and nobody can tell me anything on the phone. They said I could keep calling back every day but let me not do anything. They’ve confirmed they received all my information but have no idea when I can expect benefits. What is someone supposed to do to pay their bills? Why isn’t anybody doing anything about this?