Our governor should start updating us daily on progress helping the newly unemployed

It’s insurance you’ve earned by working. It’s “unemployment insurance” and if you held down a job and were laid off or furloughed, it shouldn’t take months to get your first unemployment check. It shouldn’t take months to get a simple call back to clear up a problem or answer a question to get the payments started.

Just as Gov. Gavin Newsom regularly calls press briefings to update us on the state of things pertaining to the pandemic, he should be frequently updating how the Employment Development Department is being managed to improve performance and save a bunch of our fellow citizens from losing everything even though they thought they were protected.

We’ve heard from some people – and reported such in the Tuesday edition – who thought they were on the right track but made some error filling out a form that then puts them in the waiting queue seemingly forever. We reported on a local resident who’s had some problem getting his claim processed and now is on the verge of losing his home.

Our local legislators, state Sen. Jim

Nielsen and Assemblyman James Gallagher, report they’ve received hundreds of calls from people in our districts who are having trouble with EDD. Gallagher reported that the vast majority of citizens he hears from are just waiting for a call back.

He says that EDD needs a major overhaul to set it right for the long term; but right now needs to focus on paying claims as fast as possible. And catching up with claimants so they aren’t evicted unnecessarily.

He invites people in his district to call his office for help with the EDD system: 895-4217.

To an EDD employee or supervisor, it might appear that the EDD website and reporting system is working and is easy to understand. To a citizen who’s been laid off, worries about the kids, the house, food on the table, what to do ... it might seem like a maze. EDD needs to get back to people; the governor should be reporting progress.