The Shadow
RICHMOND, Va. (VR) – Governor Glenn Youngkin today visited the Virginia Employment Commission (VEC) to recognize the agency’s remarkable transformation and significant accomplishments in improving services for Virginians.
“VEC is a stronger, more responsive agency for the 8.8 million customers who depend on us,” said Governor Glenn Youngkin. “VEC has leveraged technology and innovation to streamline processes and accelerate workflows, strengthening the agency’s resilience and ensuring the VEC is future-ready.”
This was the Governor’s fourth visit to VEC, reflecting a continued commitment to delivering efficient and responsive government services. As part of this commitment, the Governor celebrated the recent debut of the agency’s new website, describing it as a “digital lobby” streamlining access to critical services. The website provides step-by-step guidance, delivers clear and concise information in plain language, and added an askVEC feature which provides instant answers to customer questions.
“The new VEC website represents a significant milestone and a capstone achievement in our day-one commitment to delivering a citizen-centered, transparent, and efficient government,” said the Governor. “It reflects the agency’s broader accomplishments over the past three years, demonstrating progress in meeting the needs of Virginians with innovative and effective solutions.”
Additional transformative outcomes include:
Eliminated Backlogs: VEC staff eliminated unprecedented backlogs by implementing efficient workflows, innovatively applying emerging technologies such as Robotic Process Automation, and leveraging data and business analytics tools.
In the Appeals Division the VEC completed over 135,000 appeals since January 2022 with 65,000 of those handled just in the last year. The average age of VEC’s first level appeals cases one year ago was 568 days—today the appeals inventory is at just 1,200 cases with an average age of 19 days.
Streamlined Customer Experience: The agency’s partnership with ID.me, a digital identity verification tool, has made it easier and faster for customers to file for unemployment benefits. More than 80% of VEC’s customers are now filing their claims seamlessly online and call volume to the Customer Contact Center has decreased by nearly 60%. VEC’s new customer focused website further improves the customer’s experience.
Timely Benefits: Virginia now surpasses the national average for timely decisions and timely first benefit payments.
“The progress at VEC demonstrates the transformation possible when government services are intentionally and actively managed to meet the needs of the citizens we serve. Under Governor Youngkin’s leadership, the agency has set a new standard for efficiency and innovation in delivering state services,” said Secretary of Labor Bryan Slater.
“To Commissioner Melis and the entire VEC team—you’ve achieved incredible results,” said the Governor. “Your commitment to delivering best-in-class service to Virginians is evident in every milestone reached and I’m confident you’ll continue building on this progress.”
Melis was recently appointed to serve as Senior Advisor for Strategic Innovation in addition to his role as Commissioner of the VEC. In this expanded role, he will work with the Governor’s Transformation Office to identify and deliver impactful changes and performance improvements across other state agencies, modeled after many of the successful outcomes achieved at the VEC.
“The success we see today reflects the hard work and innovative spirit of the VEC team,” said Commissioner Demetrios “Mitch” Melis. “Their focus on streamlining processes and commitment to enhancing customer service has truly transformed the way we serve Virginians.”
