California unemployment checks could be late this week because of tech error

Californians expecting an unemployment check this week might not see their money until Wednesday due to a technical system error, according to the California Employment Development Department.

The department said database maintenance completed over the weekend unexpectedly disrupted the system that processes unemployment insurance payments, prompting anxieties among unemployment recipients ahead of the holiday season.

“Unfortunately, the update created a disruption in accessing data and led to delays in processing those payments,” department spokesman Aubrey Henry said in a written response to questions. “The issue has been fixed and the (department) believes the majority of the payments will be made tomorrow and the rest completed on Wednesday.”

About 774,000 Californians are unemployed and looking for work, according to the department.

The department is responsible for handling unemployment insurance, disability insurance, payroll tax collection, job training and workforce services.

The disability insurance branch is charged with administering partial wage replacement benefits to California workers who are eligible for the program’s offerings. The branch doles out disability and paid family leave benefits.

“The EDD recognizes that these unemployment benefits are an important source of financial support of out-of-work Californians and we apologize for any inconvenience this delay has created,” Henry wrote.

This story was originally published November 25, 2019 at 5:17 PM.