An investigation led by Code for America founder Jennifer Pahlka and state Operations Secretary Yolanda Richardson concluded Monday with recommendations to prevent the state's unemployment backlog from growing larger.

Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak has named Alan Cunningham, the information security officer of Washoe County School District, as the state's new chief information officer.

The new team includes Code For America Founder Jennifer Pahlka, who will help streamline an outdated process that has resulted in what Gov. Gavin Newsom called an "unacceptable" claims backlog.

The state has reclaimed most of the accidental payments and is now seeking to distribute funds to residents who've been underpaid by the faulty system.

Surging demand at health and labor departments spurred adoption of chatbots in state government, according to a new NASCIO report.

Adjustments to screening techniques are driving down phony claims, Washington officials say. But in other states, illegitimate claims clog systems already overburdened.

Florida, which decommissioned its centralized IT agency last year, has compromised the personal information of 98 unemployment insurance applicants.

The head of the Washington Employment Security Department said the scheme, which appears to have originated in Nigeria, could delay payments to legitimate filers.

The pandemic is forcing states to accelerate upgrades to critical IT systems, which in turn is compromising personal data and upending normal procurement steps.