The state's unemployment system is facing sharp criticism after a pair of new audits revealed chronic payment delays and millions of dollars lost to improper payouts.
A double audit from the North Carolina Office of the State Auditor shows the state failed to deliver 28 percent of first unemployment payments on time over a 16-month period. State Auditor Dave Boliek noted the state has missed federal timeliness benchmarks since 2011.
Furthermore, investigators discovered a 22 percent improper payment rate, revealing more than $168 million dollars in overpayments. More than $47 million dollars of that total was classified as fraud, with only a fraction recovered.
