In Jail and Gettng Unemployment? Yep.
Well, they are out of work, after all…
Hundreds of individuals in Wisconsin’s county jails and prison system are illegally receiving unemployment benefits, the MacIver News Service has learned.
In March, the Department of Workforce Development (DWD), started a cross match their data with the Department of Health Services to combat inmate fraud in unemployment insurance claims. As of September 2, the number of over-payments to 236 inmates was $325,416.
According to an official in the Department of Workforce Development about 75-135 jailed individuals receive unemployment insurance on a monthly basis.
DWD Deputy Administrator Andrea Reid deemed about half of these claims to be fraudulent. The other half would be people who are booked over-night or jailed on a short-term basis who therefore are still eligible to file and receive payment for unemployment claims.
“The typical scenario for inmate fraud is the spouse, the girlfriend, the mom, actually reporting for that claimant,” said Reid.
The MacIver News Service recently reported on the Governor’s Commission on Waste, Fraud and Abuse, where a new system to combat UI fraud was discussed.
And now… the rest of the story. …..
Harold
