New system to apply for Minnesota unemployment

That's more than the entire year of 2019. 

The sheer volume has resulted in sometimes slow responses to calls and emails to the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development. 

Monday, DEED Commissioner Steve Grove asked Minnesotans to use a new system. It involves categorizing people based on the last digit of their social security number. 

If your social security number ends in:

• 0, 1 or 2 - apply on Mondays
• 3, 4 or 5 - apply on Tuesdays
• 6, 7, 8 or 9 - apply on Wednesdays

Thursdays and Fridays will be reserved for people who missed their assigned day. 

"This is just going to allow us to provide faster, more effective service," Grove said in a statewide conference call Monday afternoon. "So far today, it's already working really well; we're able to get to people more quickly."

Grove said it has no effect on the amount of benefits people will be paid. 

"If you're already signed up for unemployment insurance, you can still log into your account at any time," he said. "And there's really no need to call the unemployment insurance staff to check in more deeply about this."

Before people simply hop on the phone with questions, Grove strongly encouraged they check the FAQ page at UIMN.org to make sure there isn't an answer online.