District Announces Extended Hours to Support Unemployment Claim Filers

(Washington, DC) As Mayor Muriel Bowser appeals to President Donald Trump to end the partial federal government shutdown that became effective on December 22, 2018, she has also directed the DC Department of Employment Services (DOES), the American Job Center Headquarters, and the Office of Unemployment Compensation (OUC) to assist furloughed federal employees and contractors.

“During a shutdown, there are no winners and our nation’s federal workers, including the 170,000 federal employees who work in Washington, DC, pay the highest price,” said Mayor Bowser. “Just as over 70 percent of American workers do, many federal employees live paycheck-to-paycheck and this type of shutdown cripples their economic stability. And, it can be especially devastating to those federal contractors who are not guaranteed retroactive pay. DC Government stands ready to assist furloughed employees.”

• DOES and DC’s American Job Center Headquarters have extended business hours for Unemployment Insurance services to 6:30 pm, Monday through Friday, to process unemployment insurance claims.
• Furloughed federal employees may call the DOES Customer Service Center at (202) 478-5937, Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 6:30 pm, or file online at dcnetworks.org.
• In an effort to streamline the application process for furloughed federal employees, the OUC has increased staffing levels to assist with the surge of federal applications for unemployment insurance benefits.

As of December 28, 2018, the District Government has received 329 applications for Unemployment Insurance benefits from furloughed federal employees and contractors impacted by the partial shutdown.