WILMINGTON, DE — The Delaware Department of Labor said it has made substantial progress in cutting the state’s unemployment claims backlog, citing operational reforms that reduced pending cases by more than 40 percent.
State labor officials said the backlog dropped from more than 7,000 cases to fewer than 4,000 after the department refocused its unemployment program on service delivery, compliance, and fiscal discipline. The improvements followed changes to internal workflows, staffing, and technology aimed at speeding decisions for claimants.
The department said it boosted efficiency through expanded use of its Claimant 360 and IQ Fraud dashboards, the launch of a centralized document knowledgebase, and the rollout of new productivity tools. Together, those systems improved decision-making and reduced delays across teams.
Federal support also played a role. The program secured Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessment grant funding to strengthen claimant engagement, improve reemployment outcomes, and support ongoing process improvements. Officials said a transition to new case management processes helped stabilize operations during the overhaul.
One key shift involved moving adjudicators away from call handling and toward focused claim processing. The department said that change increased throughput while improving service quality for unemployed workers waiting on determinations.
To sustain the progress, the department established a structured training framework that includes formal onboarding, classroom instruction, and adjudication-specific training. Additional staffing measures, including the onboarding of a dedicated “Mission Backlog” team, were used to expand processing capacity.
“Reducing open claims by thousands while updating our processes and retraining staff reflects the dedication and focus of our team,” said Delaware Secretary of Labor LaKresha Moultrie. “This progress means claimants receive decisions faster, staff can work more efficiently, and the program is stronger and more resilient.”
The department said it plans to build on the gains in 2026, with continued emphasis on efficiency, accountability, and timely service delivery as unemployment programs adjust to evolving economic conditions.
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