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OESC Interim Director Speaks With KWGS About Upcoming Tulsa Claims Event, Fraud, And Agency Efforts

Twitter / @OESCnews
Oklahoma Employment Security Commission Interim Director Shelley Zumwalt (right) with State Rep. Andy Fugate (D-OKC) at a claims processing event on July 1st.

Shelley Zumwalt, interim director of the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission, spoke with KWGS about the agency's claims processing event at Expo Square this week, improving the agency's technology, dealing with fraudulent claims, making sure unemployment is a temporary stopgap and not a disincentive for Oklahomans to return to work, and more. 

Details on Expo Square event:

"To better serve Oklahomans in the Tulsa area, OESC will host two in-person, socially-distanced claim processing events on July 15 & 16. These events will take place at Expo Square in the lower level of the River Spirit Expo from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Safety of claimants & staff is a top priority. Social distancing precautions include distanced indoor claimant waiting areas and frequent sanitization of high-contact areas. All are asked to wear masks for the entirety of the event & temperature checks will be conducted.

To accommodate these events and provide the staffing needed to serve claimants at Expo Square, the Muskogee, Okmulgee, Sapulpa and downtown Tulsa offices will be closed on July 15 and 16.

We will be able to serve a total of 400 claimants per day at Expo Square. On the 15th, once the first 400 claimants have received their ticket to hold their place in line, claimants who arrive after will be given a “front of the line” pass for the 16th.

We are continuing to assess needs for additional event dates in both Oklahoma City and Tulsa, and will announce any upcoming events on social media.

We encourage claimants to begin lining up at 6 a.m. on 7/15. Public transportation stops are located less than a mile from the River Spirit Expo. More information on available routes can be found here: https://tulsatransit.org/maps-schedules/

Our staff at these events will be able to process many types of claims, including: PUA - Filed Once and Locked Out PUA - Never Filed Credit Card Never Received Fraudulent Claims Language or Technological Assistance UI Initial Claim Filing Assistance

Claimants will be divided into groups based on these categories to streamline the process & efficiently serve attendees. Additionally, staff members from Conduent will be working with the OESC Fraud & Credit Card teams in-person to issue payment day-of for applicable cases.

Chris joined Public Radio Tulsa as a news anchor and reporter in April 2020. He’s a graduate of Hunter College and the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism, both at the City University of New York.
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