For Immediate Release
September 25, 2020
Contact: Stacy Johnston
Acting Public Information Officer
505.250.3926
Online Spanish accessibility coming soon for individuals filing or certifying for Unemployment Insurance benefits
(Albuquerque, NM) – The New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions (NMDWS) is currently in the process of updating the Unemployment Insurance Tax & Claims System (www.jobs.state.nm.us) to be fully available in Spanish. Claimants who indicate Spanish as their preferred language will start to see system features, including filing an initial claim, available in Spanish starting September 30th .
The Spanish update to the system will be a phased-in process to ensure consistent, accurate, and grammatically correct translation. The first phase will include the Unemployment Insurance claimant homepage, filing an initial claim, and filing weekly certifications.
“Todos nuestros vecinos son importante y debe sentirse comodos al obtener los beneficios que se han ganado,” said Bill McCamley, NMDWS Secretary. “Governor Lujan Grisham has asked us to find ways to make information easier to understand and this is an important step in making sure all New Mexicans can get help when they need it.”
Language preference is established when an individual first creates an account for the New Mexico Workforce Connection Online System. If Spanish is selected, their My Workforce Connection landing page, access to the job search feature, resume builder, and virtual recruiter all display in Spanish. Individuals can change from Spanish to English or English to Spanish at any time by selecting their language preference at the top of the page.
Additional phases of the project are expected to be implemented during the remaining months of the year, with the goal of having the system fully available in Spanish in 2021.
Free language assistance is available for individuals who do not speak English by contacting the Unemployment Insurance Operations Center at 1-877-664-6984 Monday through Friday 7:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. to file or certify an Unemployment Insurance claim.
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