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NEworks unemployment site is back online after cyberattack took it down for several days

Posted at 5:38 PM, Jul 05, 2022
and last updated 2022-07-05 18:38:31-04

OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — On Friday, 3 News Now reported that the website Nebraskans use to file their unemployment claims was down for several days because of a cyberattack. The result was that hundreds, if not thousands, of Nebraskans were unable to receive their unemployment checks.

The cyberattack affected multiple states, including Iowa, because the company that provides the sites were hacked.

In a press release, the State of Nebraska Department of Labor said:

The NEworks.nebraska.gov website is back online following an outage impacting the site’s vendor, Geographic Solutions, Inc. (GSI). Among multiple states impacted, Nebraska’s site was the first to come back online. GSI has also restored other state websites, with more to come.

“Although we understand this has caused disruption for unemployment claimants and other users, taking the site offline was an important measure to protect the data of working Nebraskans,” said Commissioner of Labor John H. Albin.

NDOL will ensure that unemployment claimants are able to receive the benefits for which they are eligible. The agency is prioritizing payments for weeks already claimed. Back payments will be issued to all eligible claimants. Filers should check their account for status updates.

The NEworks system prompts workers with active claims to file for two weeks of benefits if a certification has not already been filed for the week ending June 25.

If an individual has recently become unemployed and was unable to file an initial application for unemployment benefits or reopen their claim because of the system outage, they should request backdating of the application by emailing NDOL.Unemploymenthelp@nebraska.gov. Instructions can be found at dol.nebraska.gov/uibenefits.

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