DUA reports 50% decrease in backlogs, claimants still reporting unemployment check delays

BOSTON — Boston 25 News has been on a pursuit for answers for months about unemployment check delays, with dozens of you flooding our inbox.

Boston 25 spent weeks requesting data from the state to figure out just how big of a backlog the DUA is facing, even after the launch of a pilot program in August that aimed to tackle these concerns.

In September and October, the DUA says over 60,000 calls were handled and over $200 million in benefits were paid to over 60,000 claimants, more than 2,000 of whom they say received in-person assistance.

The DUA says they’ve seen a nearly 50% decrease in backlogs. “The pilot is successful, but there is also more work to be done,” said State Secretary of Labor Lauren Jones. “There is a process that any claim has to get through. So, open adjudication items may include ID verification, back and forth with an employer, and that’s just part of the normal course of doing business.”

The DUA says eligibility is determined on a week-to-week basis. Public records obtained by Boston 25 from January through August of this year showed that out of nearly 175,000 claims that were filed during that period, nearly 22,000 of you hadn’t been paid.

The DUA says they are extending the pilot program through March 31.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW

©2025 Cox Media Group