Puerto Rico's Department of Labor Secretary María del Pilar Vélez Casanova announced at a press conference in La Fortaleza that unemployment insurance beneficiaries have been unable to claim payments for about a week due to a platform migration. The old system has been offline since August 17 while data migrates to a new platform called "Desempleo Digital," which will launch September 1. During this period, no filings, payments, or certifications are available, though department offices remain staffed to assist.
Vélez Casanova said claimants need not worry about pending claims or payments for the two-week gap, since once the new system launches, they must log in with an email address and bank account, answer security questions, and their prior information will transfer automatically, allowing them to receive pending payments and file missed claims. Employers are also affected but have until October to submit information, giving them a month to comply. The secretary said no additional delays should occur after this pause and described the new platform as making the unemployment process more agile and convenient.
The main change is that payments will now be made via direct deposit instead of by check.