'What took so long?' GOP questions governor's $90M unemployment plan

MADISON, Wis. - What should the state do to speed up the unemployment system that trapped thousands in limbo in 2020? Governor Tony Evers wants $90 million over 10 years to modernize it, but Republicans question the administration. 

"What took you so long?" said Senator Dan Feyen (R-Fond du Lac). "This pandemic started in March."

A September report found only 0.5% of calls to the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development were answered between mid-March and late June when nearly 100,000 people were waiting on claims.

That led Governor Evers to fire his secretary of workforce development. He's nominated Amy Pechacek as the new secretary-designee. She says they've cleared the backlog, and all that remains is cases going through adjudication. The department has blamed delays partly on old tech.

"So ultimately, IT modernization is the necessary solution to provide better, faster services to future claimants and improve the UI system’s ability to respond to future recessions," said Pechacek.

The governor called a special session of the Legislature on unemployment, asking them to pass his $90 million proposal to modernize the state’s unemployment system.

Instead, both chambers quickly adjourned and questioned the price tag.

"We’re wondering if the department themselves can do it with existing appropriations, within their department or other areas of state government," said Feyen.

After the state Assembly and Senate immediately adjourned the special session on unemployment, the senate majority leader was going to wait to see what came from this hearing to figure out next steps.