THE N.C. Employment Security Commission (NCESC) has cancelled the fees which had unnerved some customers and agitated others who access their unemployment benefits via debit card, the agency announced Wednesday, July 7. It was the extra money that they had to shell out from their pockets.
The ESC said it reworked its contract for the cards with the Texas-based Affiliated Computer Services Inc., which administers the program, and Wells Fargo, negotiating to remove fees for everything from withdrawals to balance inquiries.
“This new contract will make more money available for our customers to meet their daily needs and will help prevent frustrating situations — for both the debit card holders and ESC staff, who got calls in the past from customers unhappy about the fee situation,” ESC Chairwoman Lynn Holmes said in a statement.
According to the reports, the past fee structure allowed most customers to avoid sundry charges like checking the card's balance online. Withdrawals were free with a purchase at most merchants that offer cash-back transactions. But inquiring about card balances at an ATM cost 50 cents and taking money out of ATMs after two withdrawals each month cost $1.50.
Now after some alterations in favor of customers, they can have unlimited free withdrawals from in-network ATMs - more than 600 Wells Fargo or Wachovia ATMs statewide.
This new scheme will be effective from September 1. Customers will receive phone, e-mail or text message alerts when their balance will fall below a pre-set amount. Customers can also be notified when deposits are made.
In addition, balance inquiries at in-network ATMs are now free and unlimited. Inquiries by phone are free, too, compared to 35 cents in the past after the fifth call. Also, customers are now allowed one free replacement card per year, compared to $5 each in the past.
New customer-service features are also part of the revised contract, the ESC said.
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