The pilot program does not apply to select employees of the state Department of Labor and Workforce Development and Motor Vehicle Commission who specialize in in-person services.
But the statewide unemployment rate increased by a tenth of a point over June's revised number to 7.3%, nearly two points higher than the national figure of 5.4%.
Since last March, more than 2.1 million residents have filed for unemployment benefits. More than 266,000 are considered long-term unemployed, meaning they have been collecting for more than a year.