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EDD: Many still waiting on Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation

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Published  April 23, 2021 7:00pm PDT
California EDD
KTVU FOX 2

EDD still bogged down with jobless claims

KTVU's Tom Vacar reports.

OAKLAND, Calif. (KTVU) - The Employment Development Department still has a backlog of 127,000 cases, and some of those applications involved what appears to be a self-inflicted misrepresentation to claimants. 

The Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) is a federal program to help unemployed Americans continue to receive money until the pandemic is reasonably under control. It was initially extended to go through to March 14th, then extended again under the Biden Administration to September 6th, provided the recipients recertify their eligibility. But many are still waiting.

After two week pause, EDD accepts new unemployment claims, but phone delays persist

California’s Employment Development Department officially began accepting new unemployment claims on Monday after a two week shutdown.

Initially, EDD promised to process all extensions for all of those with a zero balance in their PEUC accounts by April 30th. But then the department shortened the wait. 

"Regarding claimants receiving the PEUC extension from the American Rescue Plan by 4/17, that was their promised date," said YouTuber Ginny Silver. 

Since that was more than a week ago, it appears to be yet another broken promise. 

"I have a large number of claimants who are reporting that they still have not received that," said Silver.

Silver has gained popularity on YouTube by helping jobless workers in California get answers to perplexing questions they can't get out of EDD. Silver is not employed by the department, but her YouTube channel gets upwards of a million views a month. 

52 weeks into EDD unemployment benefits: Make sure you click ‘new claim’

She asked EDD's Public Affairs Department to explain why Californians aren't getting paid, but Silver has yet to get a response. 

"EDD doesn't respond to me and my media requests," said Silver. 

Assistance is critical to many if not most of the 1.5 million still unemployed Californians who will have real trouble finding jobs that were lost forever, especially in small businesses. 

"No significant reopenings. The number of openings are way down, over 38% since the start of the pandemic and small business revenues," said labor lawyer and former EDD Director Michael Bernick.

In a statement to KTV, the department said the PEUC rollout was completed on April 10, but that seems to be news to a lot of people.