New Jersey Unemployment Worst In U.S. For Customer Service

For anyone who has tried calling the New Jersey Department of Labor for help with an unemployment claim this will come as little no surprise: New Jersey has the worst customer service.

That's according to a new study released by researchers at the University of Chicago. They spend months placing thousands of calls to help lines in every state. They called for help with unemployment benefits, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, income tax returns and Medicaid. If they were placed on hold, they waited 45 minutes, then hung up.

In New Jersey, they reached a live person less than 20% of the time.

While they did not specifically break out which agencies they had an easier time reaching, researchers wrote, "States where a live representative was more likely to be reached when looking for help with a UI application were the same states where a live representative was more likely to be reached for other government services.”

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Issues reaching the Department of Labor in New Jersey have been well documented. As the state shut down during the pandemic, over 200,000 new claims for unemployment were being filed each week.

The state paid a private contractor over $11 million to open a new call center in June, but problems reaching a live person persist.

While many routine matters can be handled on-line, University of Chicago researchers noted there was no correlation between bad phone service and a better website, writing, “We do not find evidence that states compensated for lack of live phone representatives by having better websites or online chat features.”

The website MarketWatch.com reports the Department of Labor and Governor Phil Murphy's Office did not comment on the report.

Beautiful sunflower fields to visit in NJ 2021

Among reasons why the “Garden State” remains a fitting nickname for New Jersey — late summer means the arrival of sunflower season.

There are at least six fields, spanning the state. Some are in bloom as of early August, while others are planned to peak from late August to late September.

Calling or emailing before heading out is always advisable if weather appears to be an issue.

Point Pleasant Beach NJ: 11 most popular spots

The oceanside location of Point Pleasant Beach has been a source of enjoyment for centuries.

The first permanent boardwalk was built in 1915 and in the late 1920’s, Orlo Jenkinson built Jenkinson’s Pavilion and Swimming Pool.

Over the past 100 years or so, the community has grown into a vibrant resort destination for state residents and tourists, alike.

LOOK: 20 Fascinating Photos From the First Modern Olympic Games in 1896

To celebrate the history of international sports cooperation, Stacker took a look back at that groundbreaking event in Athens, when the modern Olympics were born in 1896. Keep reading to learn more about the athletes, spectators, and sports at that iconic event.