FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 13, 2023
CONTACT: Zoe Calkins, Communications Director, Arkansas Division of Workforce Services [email protected]
Arkansas’ Unemployment Insurance Program Partners with USPS to Offer ID Proofing at more than 200 Post Offices
LITTLE ROCK, ARK., July 13, 2023 — The Arkansas Division of Workforce Services, the U.S. Department of Labor, and the U.S. Postal Service have partnered to offer unemployment insurance claimants the option to provide the proof of ID needed to finalize a claim for UI benefits at more than 200 post offices across the state. The partnership leverages the USPS’ extensive national retail footprint by allowing individuals to meet the ID verification requirement in just minutes and within a few miles of home. This new identity verification option will help improve fraud prevention in the UI program while ensuring eligible claimants receive UI benefits regardless of their location or ability to access technology.
According to Charisse Childers, Director of the Arkansas Division of Workforce Services, this additional option for meeting the ID proofing requirement will further ensure bad actors are prevented from receiving undue unemployment insurance benefits, which is a focus of Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders under Executive Order 23-04. These new identity-proofing options demonstrate a successful federal and state collaboration and will help ensure the integrity of the unemployment insurance system while expediting benefits when they’re most needed.
Digital ID proofing has been available to Arkansans via Login.gov but providing multiple options for identity verification improves the timeliness of benefit payments while reducing the risk of fraud. It also increases equity for claimants who don’t have reliable high-speed internet and enhances convenience for those who otherwise would have to travel long distances. According to the USPS, 95% of the U.S. population lives within five miles of a post office.
Individuals who wish to provide proof of ID at a post office must indicate this by selecting the option on their confirmation page. The confirmation page is generated for each individual once they’ve submitted an initial application for benefits. It is important to follow the instructions, bring all necessary documents, and review which post office location(s) are participating near you. A valid government-issued ID is required for ID proofing.
Postal workers at the participating locations are trained to complete ID proofing services only and cannot answer questions about unemployment insurance claims. Individuals with questions about unemployment insurance should call the Unemployment Insurance Service Center at 1-844-908-2178 or visit www.DWS.arkansas.gov for more information.
