EDD

The EDD possibly put people’s personal information at risk. Randy Mac reports Nov. 20, 2020

An audit finds California’s unemployment benefits agency has sent out at least 38 million pieces of mail containing Social Security numbers since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, putting residents at risk of identity theft. The report says the Employment Development Department continued mailing forms without concealing sensitive information despite being told a year ago to stop the practice. The...

Unemployment insurance recipients are finding that their EDD cards are being skimmed. Randy Mac reports for NBC4 News at 11 p.m. on Nov. 13, 2020.

Scammers are hacking into unemployment debit cards. Randy Mac reports Nov. 13, 2020.

In late September, Rick Gebhard noticed spending on his Bank of America card that he knew wasn’t his. That’s when the bank confirmed fraud on his account. Randy Mac reports for NBC LA at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2020.

Fontrell Antonio Baines, 31, who uses the stage name “Nuke Bizzle,” was arrested on federal charges alleging he fraudulently obtained unemployment insurance benefits under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Christine Kim reports for NBC4 News at 11 p.m. on Oct. 16, 2020.

California embattled unemployment benefits agency said Wednesday it has cleared about 246,000 of its more than 1.6 million backlogged claims following a two-week “reset” where it stopped taking new applications so it could improve its technology.

Californians who have been out of work for the past two weeks will be able to file for unemployment benefits starting Monday, as the Employment Development Deaprtment is set to begin accepting new claims after a two-week pause.

A team from Gov. Newsom’s office found troubling shortfalls at California’s unemployment insurance agency.

The California unemployment agency’s two call centers to field questions about jobless benefits had two major problems as millions of people sought help due to the pandemic: One had nobody on site to answer calls and the other had hundreds of untrained new hires who didn’t know how to help callers.

California will not accept new unemployment claims for the next two weeks as the state works to prevent fraud and reduce a backlog as more than 2 million people are out of work statewide during the coronavirus pandemic, officials said late Saturday. Marianne Favro reports.