State Senator Joseph A. Griffo, R-Rome, and Assemblyman Mark Walczyk, R-Watertown, are calling for an audit and investigation into the state Department of Labor's handling of unemployment benefit applications in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

"People are hurting, and the help they so urgently require, and have been waiting patiently for weeks if not months already, has still not arrived, despite enduring devastating financial circumstances. While some of the millions of the state's unemployed have begun receiving benefits, millions more have not received benefits and can't get through to the Department of Labor by phone or email. The state's vaunted enhancements of its systems and increase of staff have not only done nothing to improve the situation but may have exasperated the circumstances," the representatives said in a news release.

They are asking that the findings of the comptroller’s audit be presented at a joint hearing of the Senate and Assembly’s committees on labor and investigations/state operations, which need to fully investigate the state’s unemployment process during the pandemic.

"This will assure the public that not only has the issue been identified, but that the state can put in place the necessary procedures to resolve those issues and ensure that such missteps can be avoided in the future. It is imperative that given the dire warnings that another wave of COVID-19 infections is a real possibility that we are prepared to address this issue," the representatives said.

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