Coronavirus Update: Colorado Department Of Labor Never Experienced Need So Great

DENVER (CBS4)- The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) has never experienced a need so great. Since Monday, the number of unemployment claims received have grown to more than 10,000 per day. Four times greater than what it saw in the 2008 recession.

While the number of claims don't reflect the number that the department has accepted, glitches on its website have prevented many from even filing. It's likely the number is much higher than 10,000.

"Did it Monday, did it on Tuesday, did it on Wednesday..." said Haley Nelson, a former bartender.

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Nelson a student at Metro State University of Denver, was a bartender until Monday. She found out through colleagues she had been laid off and since, she has been trying to file an unemployment claim. Unsuccessfully.

"I try multiple times a day, I tried this morning... I'm probably going to try again after we get off FaceTime," she told CBS4's Jamie Leary.

Nelson says she plans to set an alarm every hour to remind herself to keep trying but so far, she either loses progress or gets an error message.

Nelson is not alone. The CDLE says employees are treading water to keep up with claims and asks for patience.

It says every night, it shuts servers down to try and assess the overload issues. Many will be working weekends to do the same.

On it's website, the CDLE has altered its frequently asked questions as a result of the response it's had to the pandemic.

It recommends, if you don't need to make an immediate claim to wait so those who do don't run into problems.

It says it is looking within and outside the department to come up with solutions to accommodate the many in need.

Until then, Haley plans to offer help to others where she can.

"Now is the time to reach out to your friends and maybe say like, can I help you in any way possible."