California’s Employment Development Department is under fire for long wait times for people to receive unemployment benefits.
Out of work people, with no income during a deadly pandemic, are being asked to wait 4 to 6 weeks for a call back from California’s unemployment department.
That’s nothing.
If Congress somehow manages to extend supplemental employment benefits, the head of the EDD says it could take up to 20 weeks to process the payments. Reminder: there are 52 weeks in a calendar year.
I sure hope Gov. Newsom’s “strike team” speeds up that timeline before people are entirely penniless and hungry.
"There should be no barriers between Californians & the benefits they have earned."
Governor @GavinNewsom announced the formation of a new strike team that will set the path for needed reforms at @CA_EDD. https://t.co/I7hPZ7BNah
— Office of the Governor of California (@CAgovernor) July 30, 2020
If you are one of the millions of out-of-work Californians, KQED has a handy guide about applying for the unemployment benefits you have earned.
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