People with outstanding unemployment claims can now schedule in-person appointments at one-stop career centers across the state.

Lawmakers have repeatedly called on the department to launch in-person appointments to help residents struggling to get their benefits. For over two years, legislators said their offices have been inundated with complaints from residents who say their claims are in limbo.

Previously, in-person appointments were only available if initiated by the Department of Labor.

Since March, labor officials have been selecting claimants with long-standing claim issues for in-person appointments with unemployment agents. Now that the claimants who have been waiting the longest to resolve their outstanding issues have been given a chance for in-person appointments, the system is now open to any claimant. Read More from NJ Monitor.