Excerpted from KGET (NBC)
By Ashley Zavala
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KGET) — State lawmakers are trying to bring big changes to California’s Employment Development Department with some proposals they rolled out Thursday.
The proposals come as the agency has been slow to pay out unemployment benefits while struggling as a target for fraud.
“EDD has been failing California; the truth is the department has been failing for years,” said Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris, D-Laguna Beach.
The proposals include cross-checking claims with prison inmate records, a check or direct deposit option for claimants, an oversight board and customer advocate office, along with expanded language access beyond English and Spanish.
Lawmakers are also proposing to fund a $55 million task force to investigate and prosecute the at least $11 billion paid out in fraudulent claims, with Assemblyman David Chiu hoping the legislature and administration approve this as soon as possible.