CARSON CITY – More than 20,000 Nevadans have received extended benefit payments since President Obama signed into law legislation extending the Emergency Unemployment Compensation program on July 22, a state agency reported today.

The process for about 20,000 more eligible Nevadans should be completed by next week, said Cindy Jones, deputy director of the Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation (DETR).

“The department continues to work overtime processing claims to ensure everyone who qualifies for EUC and State Extended Benefits are expeditiously paid current and past funds due to them,” Jones said. “We understand the anxiety people are feeling as they wait for their benefits to be paid. We appreciate the continued patience and cooperation of claimants as we work together to make this process go as smoothly as possible.”

Instructional letters followed by benefit statements have been and continue to be mailed to all who qualify for EUC and State Extended Benefits informing them of their benefit amounts and what is required to reopen their claims, she said.

Claimants should avoid calling the Unemployment Claims Centers until they receive their benefit statements. Claimants who have not received a letter from the department by Aug. 13 should contact the unemployment call centers. Claimants should only call the Debit Card customer service line to check their card balances.

Due to the volume of transactions being made, the payments must be made in categories, Jones said.

“Our computer system is being pushed to capacity” she said. “However, we were able to begin paying claimants much sooner than we expected and will complete the process more quickly than what we hoped for.”