Gavin Newsom promised progress for California’s unemployment office — but many can’t see it
“How on earth am I going to survive this?” asks Glenn Prasad.
The south Sacramento former Uber and Lyft driver has maxed out his credit card. He pays $2,000 a month rent. He needs his unemployment benefit, and so far can’t get it — nor can he get what he regards as useful answers from the state’s unemployment agency.
He gets up every morning and starts calling the Employment Development Department at 7 a.m., an hour before the phone line opens. Every day, he’s told to try again later.
Many Californians share his frustration and anger.
Since the coronavirus outbreak in March, The Sacramento Bee has heard from dozens of people about slow, unresponsive service from EDD. Facebook pages and Twitter continue to chronicle grievance after grievance about the unemployment agency. Twitter threads have popped up with names like Californians Ignored by EDD and 200CallsDaily2EDD.
Gov. Gavin Newsom and EDD officials have been sympathetic, repeatedly promising more personnel and faster responses.
EDD reported in a statement to The Bee that “when unemployment was at a record low in February, the EDD had low federal funding and low staff. But as the workload has spiked, the EDD has received more federal funding to support a mass expedited hiring effort.”
So far, the agency reported, it has hired at least half of an initial 1,800 staff it is seeking to help process an unprecedented volume of claims, aid customers in call centers and review documents from claimants and employers. EDD is now hiring an additional 1,200 people, for a total of 3,000 new staff over the next few weeks.
It also says it’s enhancing its chat feature on its website and Facebook pages and extending training for people helping with claims.
“This is all in addition to many other strategies and tactics we are working on daily to help get people information they need about their claim and reduce the need to call EDD,” said agency spokeswoman Loree Levy, “thereby making it easier for those who really have to talk with a representative about more of a complex issue to get through on our call lines.”
But the number of unemployment claims has soared since March. Many people are still waiting for payments and answers. Like Pashad, they’re enduring what seems to them to be a wait without end.
“They told us to be patient and wait because they’ve been working so hard to get us paid in a timely manner,” recalled Robert Good, who worked as a waiter for a Denny’s franchise and has been trying to get answers from EDD since March.
“It’s June 1. I have no money for food and bills. The EDD keeps adding new extensions and programs, but tells those of us stuck and waiting nothing.”
Jacqueline Trauberman understands. As she she spoke with The Bee, she lamented, “There must be many souls hurting for funds like me.”
Here are some of their stories:
Glenn Prasad: ‘Have they trained this staff?’
Prasad, 58, had never been unemployed until the coronavirus pandemic hit.
He figured the government would take care of him, but he ran into trouble from the start. Because he was an Uber and Lyft driver, he couldn’t seek benefits until they became available April 28.
The EDD promised money would be on the way within 24 to 48 hours with back pay from when unemployment, or reduced employment, began. Pashad is still waiting to see a cent.
Turns out someone filed for benefits using his name, so when he did apply — on April 28 — he was told his Social Security number was wrong. He quickly sent EDD a utility bill and driver’s license showing who he was.
Since then Prasad hasn’t received the “Notice of Unemployment Insurance Claim Filed” from EDD under his correct Social Security number, which would provide an overview of the claim filed nor “Notice of Unemployment Insurance Award” which shows the maximum weekly benefit amount he is entitled to receive.
Nor has he been assigned an EDD customer account number, which he needs to register for unemployment insurance benefits online.
So he gets up every day and gets “in line” for the phone lines to open at 8 a.m. And every day he gets the same message at 8 a.m. Because of heavy volume, EDD cannot take his call.
“This is such a cruel hoax by the governor. They said they hired additional staff, so why is the phone line only available for a meager four hours a day?” he asked. “Have they trained this staff?
Robert Good: Waiting since March 20
Good took EDD’s advice and tried to get help online.
He’s been waiting for constructive answers since March 20.
Good, 65, has asked six questions on the site. The Lancaster resident was told he’ll get an answer in five to seven days.
He did try the phone for a serious potential problem. EDD had his Social Security number off by one digit. A phone representative told him May 7 it would be corrected in five to seven days. It wasn’t. He called again two weeks later. After 10 tries, he got through.
As Good recalls it, the representative said he couldn’t help and transferred him. Then the next representative said he couldn’t help. After another 35-minute wait, someone else tried to fix it.
Fast forward five to seven more days. No fix.
Since then, the first thing Good checks every day is his unemployment insurance account. Same thing every day. All zeros.
“I’ve emailed Gov. Newsom…(state Labor Secretary) Julie Su, the EDD, TV stations, never any answers,” he said. “My last work day was March 17. I’ve had no income since. They keep promising, but don’t deliver!”
Jacqueline Trauberman: 62 calls in a day
Trauberman, 67, hears all the stuff about all these programs, and still she’s getting no benefits and no one on a phone line who can help.
Her original unemployment payment stopped in mid-April. Under the new federal law, the Los Angeles interior designer could be eligible for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance or Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation — an extra 13 weeks in addition to the maximum 26 weeks — or perhaps both.
On May 5, she found a message on her online account advising her to file for a PUA claim.
But for technical reasons, she was blocked from doing so. She couldn’t get through to EDD to find out more, so she contacted her state senator, who told her about the new federal benefits. The senator sent her the department press release last week announcing the start of the 13-week program and saying people would be notified by mail about extra benefits within five to seven days.
Trauberman tried calling the agency again to learn about her particular situation. She tried on average five to 10 times most days and as many as 62 times on some other days. She just couldn’t get through.
Last week, she got another online message, this time advising her to seek benefits through the 13-week extensions program. She’s confused and wants to know more.
“I keep phoning EDD,” she said, “but so far no contact.”
Angela Benth: Why is the ‘flag’ still there?
The Atascadero resident lost her bartending jobs in January, found a new job at a winery, and was laid off from that position March 28.
So when she read that the federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program benefits could be available within 24 to 48 hours of filing a claim, she called EDD. After two and a half hours on the phone, she was told yes, that was the case.
No money showed up. She had been flagged for making false statements on an application, which she disputes. Still, Benth figured, that shouldn’t matter, because anyone losing a job because of the coronavirus outbreak was entitled to payments.
Finally, after a month of being told the flag would come off, nothing happened. She threatened to go to the media. Suddenly she was given to an EDD supervisor. He said he’d take the flag off.
As of Monday, it’s still there, and she’s received no benefit.
Mark Palmer: ‘This has gone on for weeks now’
Palmer, who says he’s “60ish,” is an independent contractor working in video and photography, earning about $20,000-$30,000 a year. He lost all his work as his employers laid him off during the coronavirus outbreak.
He’s had no income since March. That same month, he was told the apartment where he’s lived for 15 years is being torn down.
“So not only am I without income, but I have been forced into desperately looking for another place to live as well in the midst of a worldwide pandemic,” he said.
So far, he’s getting nothing in unemployment benefits. He can’t understand why, since the federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program is designed for contractors like him.
He’s tried to reach people at EDD for weeks, and can’t get through. He’s written to his state senator, whose staff member said he may not have been rejected. He was told the department may need to verify Palmer’s identity. “Many people are going through this process, so you are not alone.” the staff member wrote.
In the meantime, Palmer is worried.
When he tries to review his claim, it tells him it is still being processed.
“This has gone on for weeks now. I don’t know how long I’m supposed to wait for it to finish processing, but there’s a slim chance I could still get benefits if I just wait and do nothing, he said. “I am in limbo right now, and don’t know what my next move with them is supposed to be.
“It’s the not knowing where I am in the process that is so maddening while my bills and rent continue to require being paid.”
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