New unemployment benefits could be delayed for Wisconsin residents

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- The COVID relief bill signed by President Joe Biden Thursday, March 11, will extend unemployment benefits to thousands of people in Wisconsin. But it could be a while before the state starts sending the checks.

Current benefits expire March 13 but the state hasn’t even started handing out some of those benefits.

The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD) expects to be finished by the end of April.

A spokeswoman for the DWD tells CBS 58 they are waiting for more details from the federal government and it’s too soon to say how long people will wait for the next round of benefits.

The DWD blames an old computer system for the delays.