California has expanded phone assistance to those filing unemployment insurance claims during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the state Employment Development Department continues to receive criticism from people who have not been able to get through on jammed lines despite making dozens of calls to the agency.
California Labor Secretary Julie Su acknowledged Monday afternoon that jobless Californians were still having a difficult time reaching live representatives for help with their unemployment claims and said her office is working to resolve the issue.
“I know that people have continued to have trouble today reaching someone on the phone center. I know that people are still not getting through,” Su said during a Facebook Live chat in which residents peppered her with 1,500 questions and messages, many of them showing frustration.
The EDD has shifted 1,340 state workers to answer phones and process requests for assistance in response to more than 2.7 million new jobless claims filed in the last month.
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