BALTIMORE, MD—The Maryland Department of Labor (Labor) on Thursday provided an update about significant progress made in the processing and payment of unemployment insurance claims during the coronavirus pandemic.

“Our department recently implemented a fix that has led to substantial progress in processing unemployment insurance claims, resulting in tens of thousands of eligible claimants receiving their benefits,” said Labor Secretary Tiffany P. Robinson. “However, there is still work to be done. Our department is committed to helping Marylanders through this pandemic and our team will not stop until we have served each and every one of our claimants.”

Of the 537,348 complete claims received from March 9 to June 13, 502,685 (93.5%) have been processed with 405,608 (75.4%) receiving benefit payments and 97,077 (18.1%) being denied benefits for not meeting state and federal program requirements. Of the claims that have already been denied, the large majority were denied because claimants had issues related to the separation from their most recent employer or were determined to be monetarily ineligible.

Labor has cut the adjudication backlog by more than half over the last week, and there are currently 34,663 (6.5%) claims pending in adjudication. These claims have one or more issues blocking claimants from receiving payment that are being resolved by UI professionals.

From March 9 to June 13, the Maryland Department of Labor’s Division of Unemployment Insurance paid a total of $2,703,939,944 regular and CARES Act unemployment insurance benefits to claimants.

This total amount includes $1,742,249,425 in regular benefits, $925,049,452 in PUA benefits and $36,641,067 in PEUC benefits.