State unemployment office sees leader retire

Raleigh, N.C. — The North Carolina Division of Employment Security is in the headlines again, but this time it is making changes for the better.

Over the past five years, the agency has faced numerous problems, including late benefit payments, $28 million in overpayments and a $147 million mistake when the division used state funds instead of federal funds to pay claims.

WRAL Investigates reported in May on poor performance reviews dating back decades. The labor department has performed 120 quality checks on North Carolina’s unemployment agency since 1997. Of those, the agency has passed twice. The most recent report card, through Dec. 31, 2011, shows North Carolina failed on 5 of 11 measures of unemployment insurance quality.

Larry Parker, spokesman for the agency, told WRAL Investigates in May that changes were coming. On Friday, he said, "Our focus is improve those numbers and our recent staffing changes should assist not only in the quality of work but in the timeliness as well."

Among several high-level executives who retired last month was David Canady, who led the Unemployment Insurance division at DES since 1997.

The division is adding staff, too. The stubbornly steady jobless rate in North Carolina means more clients for DES. About a dozen workers are expected to be added to handle unemployment cases.

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Latest Comments

westernwake, I'd love to be on that technology team, but somehow I suspect the powers that be DON'T want to get it right and have streamlined operations and smaller staff.

storchheim
August 6, 2012 5:03 p.m.

The state unemployment office needs a complete overhaul... including a new outside technology team (small and focused) to come in and fix the problems within 120 days.

westernwake1
August 6, 2012 4:58 p.m.

Too little too late. The sad part is they'll be replace by someone who's even less qualified and will be over paid. Instead of hiring more people use the one you got better. Fire the managers and supervisor who don't or won't direct and manage their people. I'm willing to bet that the need score they get will be a failure too.

Rebelyell55
August 3, 2012 7:34 p.m.

UNREAL! This was Posted: 5:32 p.m. today. As per usual, this was posted at the end of the week, close to the closing of comments, and no comments are allowed on the weekend. By Monday, this will be totally buried.

Yes, Canady RETIRED. He gets a nice big retirement check each month. The dude in charge of IS retired suddenly last Oct. The Appeals Head retired suddenly. The Tax Head retired suddenly. They all retired with what they would get had they not been under the microscope. There are 3 or 4 heads of units who have been replaced, but they are sitting there drawing their big fat salary, and doing not one single thing. Most of them have been sitting around waiting to retire for a LONG time anyway.

Yes, the big political folks are making the dough, the peons are the ones trying to keep the wheels on that rickety cart.

WRAL, you had this report early today. Shame on you for not reporting it sooner!

computer trainer
August 3, 2012 7:11 p.m.

Seems as if we are hiring alot of state and federal employees, what will happen "if" we get back to a more comfortable employment situation, will these people be shoved somewhere else into other positions, or will they be let go. The article states that they are taking on more help to ease the problems with so many out of work.

muggs
August 3, 2012 6:46 p.m.