Temporary Disability and Family Leave Benefit Status Tool Modernization

Working with the New Jersey State Department of Labor, the Office of Innovation is modernizing and improving the Temporary Disability and Family Leave Insurance (TDI/FLI) Claim Status Tool so New Jerseyans can get their benefits sooner. With the tool, workers can independently check the status of their application and take action if needed without having to speak with a call center agent. This ongoing work is part of the Resident Experience Initiative.

Challenge

In many cases, after submitting an application for Temporary Disability or Family Leave Benefits, New Jerseyans need to provide additional information to get their claim through the process. Workers could check on their application using DOL’s Claim Status Tool, however they were confused by its language and unclear on how to move their application forward, which slowed processing times. This confusion was the primary reason why workers called the TDI/FLI hotline, with 50% of callers seeking clarification on the status of their application and what to do next. Looking up applications and explaining the next steps took a significant portion of call center agents’ time, adding to phone wait times and further slowing the application process.

Innovation In Action

To ensure the Claim Status Tool was effectively providing applicants with what they needed, OOI met with workers and community based organizations to understand the confusing aspects of the tool and what could be done to clarify the process. Based on this feedback, OOI crafted simpler language and then tested multiple versions with residents to determine the best option. OOI also made the tool mobile friendly and simplified its design using best practices to make it easier to navigate. In partnership with DOL, OOI was able to introduce all these improvements despite the back-end legacy system, which cannot easily be modified.

Impact + Metrics

Three months after launching the new TDI/FLI Claim Status Tool, there was a 30% increase in satisfaction with the tool based on surveys.
As of September 2024, nearly 200,000 workers have used the tool since it launched in May 2024.

Status

The completely overhauled TDI/FLI Claim Status Tool debuted in early May 2024 and a second round of upgrades was introduced in early August 2024. OOI and DOL continue to monitor feedback and make changes as needed.

Partners

NJ State Department of Labor

Last updated on 9/12/24