The Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry (L&I) signed a $35 million contract with a Florida-based software company to lead the migration of the unemployment compensation system to a new cloud-based platform. The state aims to simplify the process of file unemployment claims to receive the payments.
According to a document, the current system is scheduled to go offline to allow for data migration from the old system to the new one. It is the most complex part of any system upgrade. L&I anticipates a high volume of individuals will attempt to log onto the new system immediately after it is launched. If the volume of active system users reaches a specific threshold, the system will automatically instate a virtual “waiting room”. It will place visitors into a queue and allow them into the system when other users have logged off.
This action prevents the system from becoming overloaded, which could cause slowness and crashing for all users. Individuals who do not wish to wait can try to log on again later. Typically, fewer individuals try to file for their benefits later in the week and during non-business hours, so these times may have little or no wait.
For unemployed workers, employers, government staff and third-party administrators, the new mobile-friendly UC system should be much easier to use, give users provide faster access to relevant information and streamline the unemployment claim filing process.
One new feature of the new UC system is the use of the Keystone ID, a secure online account management system that allows users to log into multiple online state services with the same credentials. Some critics of Pennsylvania’s approach have warned that unemployment modernisation projects are famous for delays, climbing costs and operational issues.
The deputy secretary for unemployment compensation programs admitted that it is not easy to modernise a system, especially during a pandemic. However, one the new system is in place, it will be much easier to use, provide faster access to relevant information and streamline the unemployment claim filing process for workers, employers, unemployment program staff, as well as the third-party administrators who will be able to easily access and update more of their information.
The new system will offer a more modern interface for users with formatting similar to user-friendly websites most people use every day. The system will be mobile and tablet-friendly and will enable faster communications between users and L&I staff. To assist individuals with preparing to use the new system, L&I is continuing to host live workshops, provide video recordings of demonstrations, and offer written and visual walk-throughs of the new system.
U.S. agencies have been utilising cloud to improve their system, including U.S. Navy. As reported by OpenGov Asia, The Navy workforce will gain access to a single Microsoft Office 365 (M365) collaboration and productivity environment known as Flank Speed that will improve security starting on June 2021. It will over time also deliver additional tools to support a more productive Navy workforce.
While those commercially operated environments provided a crucial means of communication during pandemic-constricted work situations, the retirement of the previous tool clears the way for an improved, Navy-operated Flank Speed cloud. Flank Speed will be an evolving information technology initiative and the epicentre of Navy unclassified systems for years to come.
From Day One, Flank Speed users will have access to Teams, one terabyte (1TB) of OneDrive storage, and access to the full productivity suite from M365 to include Excel, Word, OneNote, and PowerPoint. Users will also retain access to old CVR accounts until it shuts down on June 15, and NMCI O365 until it reaches its end of life later this fiscal year. As network performance supports, every Navy employee will have access to the Flank Speed cloud.