NMDWS UI Call Center Hours of Operation
1-877-664-6984 Customer Service Representative Option
For Immediate Release
March 28, 2012
Contact: Joy Forehand
505.841.8450
(Albuquerque, NM) – The New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions (NMDWS) announced new hours of operation for the Unemployment Insurance call center. Starting Monday, April 2, the call center will be open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Self-service options via the 1-877-NM4-MYUI (1-877-664-6984) toll-free number will remain available 24 hours/day.
“The change in the call center hours will allow NMDWS to dedicate the approximately 60 customer service representatives to answer incoming calls more efficiently during a single shift,” said Celina Bussey, Cabinet Secretary of the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions. “Even during this typical peak season of Unemployment Insurance claims, we have seen average wait times under ten minutes, and this adjustment to the hours of operation will support the lower wait times in a more resourceful, effective manner.”
The call center hours were originally set from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, requiring various shifts for call center customer service representatives. The change to 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. will increase the number of customer service representatives available to take calls at many times during the day when there had traditionally been shift changes.
In addition to the change in the call center hours, the Unemployment Insurance online claims system will come down at 4 p.m. every Saturday in preparation for the implementation of the new tax and claims system that will launch in the fall of 2012. The Unemployment Insurance system is regularly available from 3:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. daily, and this change will only impact online functionality during Saturday evenings. Saturday is the slowest day of business for the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions Unemployment Insurance Bureau, resulting in the lowest of number of individuals impacted.
NMDWS would like to encourage claimants to use the self-service options, including weekly certification, check claims status, and PIN (personal identification number) reset, available on the 1-877-NM4-MYUI (1-877-664-6984) toll-free number 24 hours/day. NMDWS also encourages claimants to continue to file new claims and perform weekly certifications through the website at www.dws.state.nm.us.