For Californians desperate to get help from the state unemployment office, the last month has been a perfect storm of technological failures.
during the COVID-19 pandemic, the last month has been a perfect storm of failures for a state government with a long history of technology problems.
The effort to resolve problems with the claims system is all the more urgent because the state on Tuesday will begin accepting millions of unemployment assistance claims from those previously excluded from the process, including independent contractors, gig workers and the self-employed. from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days a week. Although the new call center can answer general questions and help reset passwords, it does not have the capability of processing claims or resolving problems with those that have been filed, officials said.
The disclaimer was removed Friday and replaced with a note warning that UI Online would be “unavailable” from 6 p.m. Friday to noon Saturday for “service maintenance.”The computer problems forced the EDD to suspend a requirement that applicants certify eligibility when they apply and every two weeks afterward. Su, the labor secretary, said that has helped reduce traffic that was causing system problems.
“This is terrible that you can’t get an answer even after the increase in hours” at the call center, Williams said. “I am now out of money and have limited food. Something needs to be done.
Before that work could be completed, the EDD’s archaic computer system caused delays of a month or more for unemployment checks to an estimated 117,000 Californians in 2009, The Times reported.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
With Southern California in grip of heat wave, coronavirus stay-home orders face big testWith a big heat wave in Southern California, L.A. County's coronavirus stay-at-home order faces a major test as all of the region's coast is closed.
Read more »
Next wave of U.S. states prepare to reopen as coronavirus could push jobless rate to 16%Another wave of U.S. states are preparing to lift coronavirus restrictions this week against the warnings of many public health experts as the White House sees this month's jobless rate hitting 16% or higher.
Read more »
‘Don’t have any backstop’: Americans hit hard by layoffs worry about homelessnessMany jobless Americans are struggling with diminished savings, unpaid bills, and worries over homelessness, according to a new study from Varo Money.
Read more »
The US economy has wiped out all the job gains since the Great RecessionThe jobless claims report showed that it took only five weeks for the U.S. economy to erase all the job gains since the Great Recession.
Read more »
Meghan and Harry Are Looking For A House Where Diana Dreamed of LivingBefore she died, Princess Di was planning to move to California with her sons.
Read more »