EDD official answers questions about unemployment benefits

OUTSIDE THAT FACILITY WAS LATER TRANSFERRED TO STOLLWOOD. MORE CALIFORNIANS OUT OF WORK SAY THEY’RE STRUGGLING TO GET ANSWERS FROM THE STATE’S EMPLOYMENT DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT. EDIE: WE HEARD FROM PEOPLE TODAY WHO SAY THEY’VE CALLED THE DEPARTMENT HUNDREDS OF TIMES, BUT HAVEN’T RECEIVED MANY ANSWERS. A NEW HOTLINE WAS OPENED THIS WEEK TO HELP WITH CALL VOLUME, BUT PEOPLE WHO HAVE CONTACTED US SAY IT HASN’T MADE MUCH OF A DIFFERENCE. MANY SAY THEY HAVE GOTTEN THROUGH A LIVE PERSON A HANDFUL OF TIMES, ONLY TO BE DISCONNECTED OR TRANSFERRED. GOVERNOR NEWSOM HAS NOT ADDRESSED THE CALL VOLUME IN THE PAST TWO DAYS. BUT WE HAVE SOMEONE HERE NOW WHO CAN ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS. BRIAN: JOINING US NOW IS A SPOKESPERSON FOR EDD, LORRIE LEVY. WE HAD YOU ON LAST WEEK AND IS GOOD TO HAVE YOU ON AGAIN TODAY, BECAUSE AS EDIE JUST MENTIONED, WE KEEP GETTING THESE QUESTIONS FROM VIEWERS WHO SAY THEY CANNOT GET THROUGH. PLEASE EXPLAIN WHAT IS HAPPENING. BECAUSE AS WE REPORTED, THERE IS SUPPOSED TO BE A HOTLINE RUNNING SEVEN DAYS A WEEK FROM 8:00 IN THE MORNING UNTIL 8:00 IN THE EVENING. WHY CAN PEOPLE NOT GET AN ACTUAL PERSON WHEN THEY CALL? LORRIE: OBVIOUSLY WITH THE HELP OF OUR GOVERNOR AND OUR LABOR AGENCY SECRETARY WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO EXPAND RESOURCES WE HAVE AT EDD TO PROVIDE THE ASSISTANCE SO MANY PEOPLE NEED. THE ADDITIONAL CALL CENTER LINE IS JUST ONE OF THEM. IT OPENED UP YESTERDAY. IT IS AVAILABLE 8:00 A.M. UNTIL 8:00 P.M. SEVEN DAYS A WEEK. IT IS DESIGNED TO HELP PEOPLE WITH THE MOST COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS WE ARE GETTING AND RESERVE OUR OTHER LINE FOR THE CLAIM FILING PEOPLE REALLY NEED TO CONTACT A REPRESENTATIVE ABOUT. WHAT WE ARE FINDING IS A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE CALLING AND IT PROBABLY REALLY DO NOT HAVE TO. FOR THE MOST PART MOST PEOPLE CAN GET THEIR QUESTIONS ANSWERED AND CAN GO ONLINE TO SUBMIT THEIR INQUIRIES AND THEIR CLAIMS. WE HAVE SOME REALLY HELPFUL FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ON A WEBSITE, THAT HAS PROBABLY ANSWERED A LOT OF THE QUESTIONS WE ARE HEARING SO FAR. SO YES, THERE ARE A TON OF PEOPLE CALLING. WE ARE GETTING A RECORD NUMBER OF CALLS. WE CONTINUE ON A DAILY BASIS TO BOLSTER THAT SUPPORT WE GOT ON OUR CALL CENTER LINE. HANG IN THERE WITH US. IT IS EVOLVING DAILY. WE ARE WORKING AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN TO HELP FOLKS. BRIAN: LET ME CLARIFY SOMETHING, BECAUSE YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THE MORE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS, PEOPLE GETTING THOSE ANSWERED ON THE PHONE LINE. WHAT WE ARE HEARING FROM PEOPLE AS THEY JUST HEAR AN ENDLESS LOOP, THAT THEY ACTUALLY GET NO TYPE OF INTERACTION WITH ANYONE OR EVEN A RECORDING AT ALL. JUST THIS CONSTANT RECORDING MESSAGE TELLING THEM WHERE THEY HAVE CALLED. CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT? LORRIE: I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK THEY HAVE TO TALK TO A REPRESENTATIVE AND THAT ACTUALLY SHOULD BE A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF CLAIMANTS THAT HAVE TO TALK TO SOMEBODY. MOST PEOPLE CAN GET THEIR QUESTIONS ANSWERED THROUGH THE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS WE PUT ON A WEBSITE. THAT IS WHAT I AM REALLY HOPING PEOPLE CAN TAKE FROM ALL THIS. ONE OF THE MOST COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS WE GET IS I GOT A NOTICE THAT SAID ZERO DOLLAR AWARD AVAILABLE. THAT DOES NOT NECESSARILY MEAN YOU HAVE BEEN DENIED BENEFITS. WE HAVE A GREAT FAQ ON OUR WEBSITE THAT ANSWERS THAT SPECIFIC QUESTION AND TELLS YOU WHAT TO DO. COULD BE SOMETHING WE CANNOT IDENTIFY YOUR IDENTITY, IT COULD BE SOMETHING THAT YOU BELIEVE SHOULD BE EARNINGS AS AN EMPLOYEE. THE NOTICE TELLS YOU WHAT YOU CAN DO TO CORRECT THOSE WAGES. OR IT COULD BE YOU ARE A SELF-EMPLOYED INDIVIDUAL AND HAVE NOT CONTRARY TO DO THE UNEMPLOYMENT -- THOSE WILL BE THE FOLKS SETTING UP WITH A NEW PANDEMIC ON UNEMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STARTING NEXT WEEK. EDIE: WE KNOW THAT YOU ARE TRYING TO PROCESS RIGHT NOW A HISTORIC NUMBER OF CLAIMS. YOUR OFFICE IS CERTAINLY DEALING WITH MASSIVE NUMBERS HERE. BUT IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO TRIAGE PEOPLE, SOME OF THEM WOULD GO ONLINE, SOME OF THEM MAY BE ABLE TO BE HELPED BY A MESSENGER, A PHONE TREE. WHO IS IT EXACTLY WHO SHOULD BE TALKING TO A LIVE PERSON? WHAT ARE THE CASES WHERE THAT WILL BE THE CASE, THEY NEED SOMEONE TO WALK THEM THROUGH SOMETHING? LORRIE: FIRST OF ALL, I THINK THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE OUT THERE, THIS IS THEIR FIRST TIME EXPERIENCING THIS. THEY HAVE NEVER HAD TO APPLY FOR UNEMPLOYMENT BEFORE, OR IT HAS BEEN MANY YEARS. SO WE HAVE A LOT OF RESOURCES TO HELP YOU, BECAUSE WE KNOW THERE ARE A TON OF PEOPLE TRYING TO ALL GET IN AT ONE TIME. WE TRY TO ADDRESS THOSE MOST FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS TO ADD -- TO HELP YOU. WE HAVE A REALLY GOOD STEP-BY-STEP CHART WHICH HELPS PEOPLE WHAT TO EXPECT AFTER THEY APPLY. THERE IS A CHECKLIST FOR UNDERSTANDING WHAT YOU HAVE TO SUPPLY WHEN YOU APPLY FOR BENEFITS. AND THERE IS A SMALL PERCENTAGE THAT HAVE SOME KIND OF COMPLEX ELIGIBILITY ISSUES THAT NEED TO TALK TO REPRESENTATIVE. WHAT WE ARE REALLY HOPING IS THAT ALL THOSE WHO COULD SELF-SERVE WHO HAVE A PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD CLAIM THAT SHOULD BE ABLE TO GO ONLINE, SELF-SERVING WITH NO ISSUES, THAT THEY CAN DO SO, AND REALLY HELP US FREE UP THOSE PHONE LINES FOR ALL THOSE INDIVIDUALS WITH MORE COMPLEX ELIGIBILITY ISSUES WHERE THEY HAVE TO TALK TO REPRESENTATIVE. BRIAN: LET’S GET TO SOME OF THE QUESTIONS WE ARE GETTING DIRECTLY FROM OUR VIEWERS. THIS IS FROM GARY. GARY IS ACTUALLY FROM VAN NUYS, CALIFORNIA, WELL OUT OF OUR VIEWING AREA, BUT THAT GIVES YOU AN EXAMPLE THE KIND OF CHALLENGES PEOPLE HAVE IN HAVING THE TRYING TO REACH SOMEONE FROM EDD. WITH SO MANY PEOPLE OUT OF WORK, WHY NOT HIRE THEM AND USE THEM AS CUSTOMER SERVICE REPS FOR EDD ? THAT MIGHT MAKE IT EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO CONNECT. LORRIE: THANK YOU, GARY. BUT I WILL SAY THAT WE ARE DOING A NUMBER OF THINGS INCLUDING HIRING PEOPLE. EXACTLY THAT. WE HAVE BEEN REDIRECTING HUNDREDS OF STAFF AND CONTINUING TO DO SO ON A DAILY BASIS TO ALL KINDS OF THINGS THAT WE ARE PROVIDING IN TERMS OF SERVICE TO THOSE CALIFORNIANS IN NEED. IT IS NEW EMPLOYEES, REDIRECTED EMPLOYEES, RECENT RETIREES, THOSE FROM STATE GOVERNMENT WITH UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE BACKGROUND, AND EVEN CALL CENTER EXPERIENCE EMPLOYEES FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR WE ARE BRINGING ON. ALL THAT IS BEING DONE AND IT IS HAPPENING ON A DAILY BASIS, SO HANG IN THERE WITH US. EDIE: JUST TO CLEAR UP THE HOURS OF THIS HOTLINE, RANDY SAYS I CALLED EDD, GET THROUGH JUST TO FIND A RECORDING THAT THE HOURS ARE 8:00 UNTIL NOON. WE HAVE BEEN REPORTING IT IS 8:00 UNTIL 8:00 SEVEN DAYS A WEEK. LET’S TALK ABOUT THAT, AND ALSO THE EXACT NUMBER OF PEOPLE YOU HAVE BROUGHT IN TO ANSWER ADDITIONAL CALLS. LORRIE: YOU KNOW, THE GOVERNMENT WAS TALKING ABOUT 1340 PEOPLE WE HAVE BEEN REDIRECTING TO ASSIST US WITH A LOT BECAUSE CENTER ACTIVITY AND THE HELP WE NEED TO CONTACT -- PROCESS CLAIMS. ALL THAT IS OCCURRING. THERE ARE TWO DIFFERENT CALL NUMBERS. THAT IS WHY I WANT TO CLARIFY FOR PEOPLE. WE ARE PUTTING UP CLARIFICATION ON A WEBSITE, SO I ENCOURAGE YOU TO CHECK THERE. THERE IS THE NORMAL 1-800 300 NUMBER FOR CLAIM FILING. THERE IS A BRAND-NEW NUMBER, 1-800, 333 NUMBER, FOR THE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS. IT IS LIKE HELPING YOU RESET YOUR PASSWORD OR MAYBE GETTING YOUR CUSTOMER ACCOUNT NUMBER, OR HELPING TO NAVIGATE SOME OF THE TECHNICAL PROBLEMS OR ASSISTANCE YOU NEED IN GETTING THROUGH THE UI ONLINE SYSTEM. THAT IS A HELPFUL LINE. IT IS AVAILABLE MONDAY -- SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, SATURDAY THROUGH SUNDAY, 8:00 A.M. UNTIL IT GOT P.M., AND IT IS THERE AS A RESOURCE -- FROM 8:00 TO 8:00. EDIE: IF SOMEONE IS GETTING THIS RECORDING THAT THE HOURS ARE FROM 8:00 UNTIL NOON, SHOULD THEY BE CALLING SOMEWHERE ELSE? LORRIE: YES. THEY ARE PROBABLY CALLING THE ORIGINAL LINE, WHICH WE ARE -- THEY SHOULD BE CALLING THE . -- THE NEW LINE. I BELIEVE THE NUMBER IS 833-978 -2511. AGAIN, 978-2511 IT’S AVAILABLE ON OUR COVID-19 WEBPAGE JUST TO HELP PEOPLE OUT. THAT IS A NUMBER THAT HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED STARTING YESTERDAY TO ASSIST PEOPLE WITH THOSE COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS IN ASSISTANCE IN NAVIGATING THE UI ON MY SYSTEM. EDIE: ANY CHANCE YOU CAN EXPAND THOSE HOURS AS YOU CAN HIRE MORE PEOPLE? SOUNDS LIKE IF THEY ARE REACHING THAT MESSAGE, THAT PEOPLE ARE NOT BEING ABLE TO REACH A LIVE PERSON ON THE LINE THAT IS ESTABLISHED TO DO JUST THAT. LORRIE: WE ACTUALLY HAVE TO KIND OF TAKE OUR SYSTEM IN THE EVENING HOURS AND PUSH OVER EVERYTHING THAT HAS BEEN PROCESSED FOR PAYMENT. A VERY IMPORTANT STEP IN GETTING PEOPLE THE MONEY THEY SO DESPERATELY NEED. SO WE REALLY DO HAVE TO RESERVE SOME OF THOSE LATE EVENING HOURS FOR THAT SERVICE THAT IS SO ALL-IMPORTANT. BRIAN: I WANT TO MAKE SURE I AM UNDERSTANDING SOMETHING CORRECTLY, SO PLEASE TELL ME IF I’M WRONG. THIS HOTLINE NUMBER YOU JUST GAVE OUT THAT WE HAVE BEEN REPORTING ON NOW FOR A NUMBER OF DAYS, YOU ARE TELLING ME THAT IF YOU CALL THAT, YOU SHOULD NOT EXPECT T ACTUALLY GET A LIVE PERSON? THAT THAT IS FOR ONLY THOSE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS? LORRIE: ACTUALLY THERE WILL BE LIVE REPRESENTATIVES THERE. AGAIN, WE ARE ADDING TO THAT EVERY DAY SO THAT WE HAVE PEOPLE READY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS FOR PEOPLE. BUT NO, THAT IS A SECONDARY CALL CENTER WE HAVE STAFFED WITH A LOT OF REDIRECTED EMPLOYEES OPENING US OUT WITH THIS EFFORT. IF YOU CANNOT GET THROUGH YOU WILL GET SOME MESSAGES THERE, BUT THIS IS THE NUMBER WE ARE SETTING UP AND CONTINUING TO STAFF. SO HANG IN THERE WITH US. WE ARE TRYING TO HELP YOU WITH AS MUCH ASSISTANCE AS WE CAN, WHILE ALSO REMINDING YOU THAT THOSE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS SOMETIMES ARE ALREADY AVAILABLE FOR YOU ONLINE, SO YOU DO NOT HAVE TO TRY TO GET THROUGH ON THE PHONE. EDIE: TONS OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT ADDITIONAL $600 PER WEEK THAT PEOPLE ARE NOT EXPECTING TO SEE IN THEIR UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFIT. I KNOW YOU HAVE ALREADY STARTED THAT, SO LET’S TALK ABOUT WHEN THOSE CHECKS STARTED GOING OUT AND WHEN PEOPLE CAN EXPECT TO SEE THAT MONEY. LORRIE: ON EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS ARE MADE ON A BIWEEKLY CYCLE. ONCE YOU GET YOUR CLAIM ESTABLISHED YOU HAVE TO CONTINUE TO CERTIFY TO EDD EVERY TWO WEEKS THAT YOU REMAIN UNEMPLOYED AND OTHERWISE ELIGIBLE. THEN THOSE CHECKS ARRIVE ABOUT EVERY TWO WEEKS, NOT CHECKS, BUT ACTUALLY PAYMENTS. MOST PEOPLE WILL BE GETTING THEM POSTED TO AN EDD DEBIT CARD. THAT IS A SITUATION WHERE YOU CAN CONTINUE TO UNDERSTAND THAT THAT IS A PROCESS YOU MUST GO THROUGH, AND THOSE CONTINUED PAYMENTS ARE MADE. RIGHT NOW FROM MARCH 29 ALL THE WAY THROUGH JULY, FOR EVERY WEEK OF ON A LIMIT BENEFITS THAT YOU QUALIFY FOR, WE ARE ABLE TO AUTOMATICALLY ADD THE $600 IN FEDERAL STIMULUS FUNDS TO THAT AMOUNT. SO THAT MEANS YOU GET AN ADDITIONAL $1200 FOR EVERY BIWEEKLY PAYMENT YOU RECEIVE IN REGULAR BENEFITS. BRIAN: THE NEXT QUESTION COMES FROM A VIEWER NAMED KATIE. I HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY MONEY. I FILED ON MARCH 21 AND MY CLAIMS SAY PAID. WHEN I FILED FOR UNEMPLOYMENT, I SAID I MADE $75 PER WEEK, AND THEY WERE AWARDING ME $450, BUT THEN NOW THEY ARE PENALIZING ME $75. WHY? CAN YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT SHE IS TALKING ABOUT, AND CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT? LORRIE: I WISH I COULD. I WOULD HAVE TO LOOK AT THE SITUATION AND LOOK AT SOME CLAIM RECORDS. SO MUCH OF OUR UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE PROGRAM REALLY IS ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS. ACCORDING TO THE PARTICULARS OF SOMEONE’S OWN EMPLOYMENT HISTORY. SO I AM AFRAID I CANNOT REALLY COMMENT ON THAT WITHOUT LOOKING AT MORE OF THE PARTICULARS. BUT TO SAY THAT AS YOU APPLY FOR UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE PROGRAM, YOU ARE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE TO US HOW MUCH IN EARNINGS YOU ARE GETTING FROM ANY OTHER SOURCE, AND THEN WE LOOK AT YOUR WAGE RECORDS, BECAUSE REMEMBER, THIS IS A PARTIAL WAGE REPLACEMENT PROGRAM, SO WE LOOK AT YOUR WAGE RECORDS OVER THE LAST 18 MONTHS, AND THAT IS WHAT HELPS SUBSTANTIATE A CLAIMANT AMOUNT. EDIE: THIS QUESTION FROM JULIE REALLY ADDRESSES A POLICY THAT I KNOW YOU CHANGED AT EDD. SHE SAYS SHE WAS LAID OFF, AND EDD SAYS SHE HAS TO REGISTER FOR WORK, MAKE A RESUME. IF SHE DOES NOT, IT MAY AFFECT HER BENEFITS. A LOT OF PEOPLE DO HAVE JOBS TO GO BACK TO, THEY JUST CANNOT WORK RIGHT NOW. I KNOW YOU HAVE CHANGED YOUR POLICY IN TERMS OF THAT. LET’S EXPLAIN TO PEOPLE IF THEY ARE ASKED IF THEY ARE LOOKING FOR WORK, OR IF THEY HAD MADE A RESUME, WHAT SHOULD THEY SET? LORRIE:-- SAY? LORRIE: WE JUST CANNOT GO IN AND MAKE PERMANENT CHANGES TO A PROGRAM THAT HAS TO EXIST OR MANY YEARS. BECAUSE OF THE UNIQUE SITUATION WE ARE IN NOW, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS IN OUR USUAL ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS, SO YOU WILL NOT BE PENALIZED FOR ANSWERING ON A FORM THAT SAYS I AM NOT LOOKING FOR WORK RIGHT NOW. AS LONG AS YOU MEET ALL OTHER ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR THAT WEEK, THAT WILL NOT PREVENT YOU FROM GETTING PAID BENEFITS FOR THAT WEEK. EDIE: FOR SOMEONE LIKE JULIE WHO MAY HAVE APPLIED BEFORE THAT RULE CHANGE, SHOULD SHE REAPPLY? LORRIE: NO. ONCE YOU APPLY YOUR CLAIM IS GOOD FOR ONE YEAR. SO IT COULD BE THAT THAT DID NOT PREVENT HER FROM GETTING A CLAIM ISSUED. IF THERE WERE ANY OTHER ISSUES, I DO NOT KNOW WHEN HER PARTICULAR CASE, BUT I AM TALKING ABOUT ONCE YOU GET INTO THE ONGOING BENEFIT PROCESS, EVERY TWO WEEKS YOU ARE ASKED TO CERTIFY TO THE EDD, DO NOT WORRY ABOUT THAT QUESTION LOOKING FOR WORK. WE TAKE CARE OF THAT ON THE BACKEND. BRIAN: WHEN SOMEONE GETS APPROVED, THE AMOUNT THEY WILL BE GETTING TURNS INTO QUESTIONS. WHY ALL OF A SUDDEN ARE THEY THEN DISQUALIFIED, AND WHAT IS THE NEXT STEP IN FIXING THAT? CAN YOU EXPLAIN ABOUT HOW SOMEONE MIGHT GET DISQUALIFIED AFTER ANSWERING QUESTIONS? LORRIE: IT TYPICALLY MEANS -- AGAIN, I’M SO SORRY, IT IS USUALLY ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS, SO I CANNOT ANSWER FOR ANY PARTICULAR SITUATION. BUT WHEN YOU ARE ASKED EVERY TWO WEEKS TO ANSWER, ARE YOU ABLE AND AVAILABLE, IN OTHER WORDS, ARE YOU READY TO RETURN TO THAT EMPLOYER WHEN THINGS PICK BACK UP AGAIN? IF YOU ARE SICK, THAT IS SOMETHING WE HAVE TO WORK WITH YOU ON THAT COULD DISQUALIFY YOU FROM BENEFITS FOR THAT WEEK, FOR EXAMPLE. THAT IS JUST ONE OF THE SCENARIOS. SO WHEN YOU ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS, IT JUST HELPS US TO UNDERSTAND WHETHER OR NOT YOUR SITUATION CONTINUES AS IS, AND YOUR ELEPHANT -- AND YOU ARE NO JIM OH-FER THAT ON UP LIMIT PAYMENT EVERY TWO WEEKS. EDIE: THIS ONE IS REALLY INTERESTING FROM JULIA, TALKING ABOUT THE NUMBER OF CLAIMS YOU HAVE RIGHT NOW, HISTORIC NUMBERS. SHE WANTS TO KNOW IF THE EDD WILL RUN OUT OF MONEY AS A NUMBER OF CLAIMS GROW, AND SHE IS SPECIFICALLY LOOKING AT THE SURGE COMING UP ON APRIL 28 WHEN YOU OPEN CLAIMS FOR THE SELF-EMPLOYED AND THE GIG ECONOMY WORKERS, AND THERE ARE A WHOLE BUNCH OF WORKERS NOW WERE SUDDENLY ABLE TO QUALIFY AND THEY DID NOT BEFORE. LORRIE: YES, GOOD QUESTION. FIRST OF ALL, THERE IS THE REGULAR UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE PROGRAM, AND THE BRAND-NEW PANDEMIC ASSISTANCE PROGRAM WE ARE BUILDING RIGHT NOW AT RECORD SPEED. AND YES, THAT WILL GO AHEAD AND GET FURTHER BENEFITS BEING PAID OUT, AND IT COULD ACTUALLY RIVAL THE SIZE OF OUR REGULAR PROGRAM. SO ALL THAT IS TRUE. BUT I WILL TELL YOU THAT WHO PAYS FOR ON UP LIMIT BENEFITS OUR EMPLOYERS, AND USUALLY THEY CONTRIBUTE TO THE TRUST FUND ON BEHALF OF EACH EMPLOYEE ON THEIR PAYROLL. IF YOU HAPPEN TO RUN OUT THE -- RUN OUT OF THE MONEY SITTING IN OUR TRUST FUND, WE HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO BORROW FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. THE POINT IS THAT ALL BENEFITS WILL CONTINUE TO BE PAID TO ANYONE WHO IS ELIGIBLE. IT JUST MIGHT BE DIFFERENT IN TERMS OF WHO IS PICKING UP AT FOR THAT MOMENT. SO WE ARE -- PICKING UP THE TAB FOR THAT MOMENT. THAT HAPPENED FOR ABOUT 36 DAYS IN CALIFORNIA IN THE LAST RECESSION. BRIAN: DAWN SAYS, SHE HAS TOLD US FOUR TIMES TO ASK YOU THIS QUESTION, SO I HOPE YOU ARE ASKING DAWN. SHE HAD A QUESTION ABOUT BEING DISQUALIFIED AS WELL. SHE SAYS SHE HAS HEARD FROM A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT SHE KNOWS IT IS A PROBLEM WITHIN THE SYSTEM, THE EDD, WHERE IT IS DISQUALIFYING PEOPLE, THEN IT TELLS YOU TO SPEAK WITH A REPRESENTATIVE BECAUSE YOU HAVE BEEN DISQUALIFIED, BUT THEN THEY RUN INTO THAT PROBLEM WHERE THEY CANNOT GET THROUGH TO ANYBODY. WHAT CAN SOMEONE LIKE DAWN DO THEN? LORRIE: THERE MIGHT BE SOME PEOPLE WHO HAVE TO TALK TO A REPRESENTATIVE. BUT MOST PEOPLE REALLY DO NOT. THEY CAN SELF SERVE AND DO NOT HAVE TO ACTUALLY TALK TO SOMEBODY. SO I’M REALLY HOPING THAT WITH ALL THE INFORMATION THAT WE CONTINUALLY UPDATE ON OUR WEBSITE, THAT WILL HELP PEOPLE, SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO GO TO THE PHONES, AND WE CAN HOPEFULLY CLEAR SOME OF THOSE LINES FOR THESE INDIVIDUALS WHO MAY HAVE TO TALK TO SOMEONE TO CLEAR UP AN ISSUE THEY MAY HAVE ON THEIR CLAIM. IT COULD BE AN ELIGIBILITY ISSUE, IT COULD BE SOMETHING FROM A PRIOR CLAIM, SOME KIND OF STATEMENT PENALTY, THAT KIND OF THING. THOSE ARE THE THINGS WE HAVE TO WORK THROUGH INDIVIDUALLY ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS. BUT FOR THE MOST PART, MOST CALIFORNIANS ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO GO PRETTY CLEAN THROUGH. WE HAVE BEEN ABLEOUR PROCESSING VOLUMES OF CLAIMS. AND MOST CALIFORNIANS SHOULD STILL BE ABLE TO THREE OF -- SEE ABOUT THREE WEEKS BETWEEN THE TIME THEY APPLY FOR BENEFITS UNTIL THEY GET THAT FIRST PAYMENT. THE EXCEPTIONS ARE THOSE IN WHICH WE CANNOT VERIFY THAT PERSON’S IDENTITY, THAT WILL TAKE SOME EXTRA BACK-AND-FORTH, OR THE INFORMATION WE GET FROM YOU DOES NOT MATCH THE WAGE RECORDS THAT WE HAVE. AND AS ANOTHER ISSUE WE HAVE TO WORK WITH YOU ON. EDIE: I HAVE TO TELL YOU WE DO NOT GET A LOT OF CALLS OR NOTES FROM PEOPLE WHO SAY EVERYTHING WENT SUPER SMOOTHLY, EVERYTHING WENT GREAT. SO WE GET THAT PEOPLE OF COURSE ARE HAVING TROUBLES. ONE FROM ASHLEY THAT I THINK PROBABLY SPEAKS TO A LOT OF SITUATIONS. UNEMPLOYED FOR MY FULL-TIME JOB, NOW WORKING PART-TIME AT ANOTHER. HOW DOES UNEMPLOYMENT WORK FOR THAT SITUATION? LORRIE: AGAIN, YOU HAVE TO GO AHEAD AND REPORT TO US ANY WAGES THAT YOU’RE EARNING AND THE EARNINGS THAT YOU HAVE. BUT IF YOU ARE UNEMPLOYED, IN OTHER WORDS, YOU NORMALLY WORK THIS MANY HOURS AND FOR RIGHT NOW YOU CANNOT WORK THAT MANY HOURS BECAUSE OF NO-FAULT OF YOUR OWN, THEN CERTAINLY YOU COULD BE ELIGIBLE. YOU WILL JUST GO AHEAD AND WAIT -- YOU JUST HAVE TO REPORT ANY WAGES YOU ARE EARNING, AND A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF THOSE WAGES COULD BE DEDUCTED FROM YOUR ON UP LIMIT BENEFIT. IF THAT IS WHAT HAPPENS, THAT IS ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS. I KNOW WE HEAR FROM A LOT OF FOLKS WERE HAVING ISSUES, AND WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO HELP EACH AND EVERY CALIFORNIA. BUT I WILL SAY THAT WE HAVE PROCESSED MORE THAN 2.7 MILLION UNEMPLOYMENT CLAIMS IN JUST FOUR WEEKS. WE WILL UPDATE THAT NUMBER AGAIN THURSDAY. BUT TO GIVE YOU A GOOD PERSON FOR CONTEXT, DURING THE HEIGHT OF THE LAST RECESSION DURING ONE MONTH WE PROCESSED 375,000 UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE CLAIMS. SO WE HAVE A SYSTEM WITH A HUGE WORKFORCE, WE HAVE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE REALLY MAKING A DIFFERENCE FOR A LOT OF UNEMPLOYED CALIFORNIANS, AND WE CONTINUE TO WORK VERY HARD TO GET TO EVERYONE. BRIAN: I HAVE ONE MORE VIEWER QUESTION TO GET TO, BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD ONE. SHE EXHAUSTED HER UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS AT THE END OF 2018 BECAUSE OF A COMPANY CLOSURE. SHE STARTED A NEW JOB AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR, BUT NOW HER HOURS HAVE ANY CUT IN HALF BECAUSE OF COVID-19. WHEN SHE TRIES TO LOG INTO HER ACCOUNT, IT SAYS HER BENEFITS HAVE BEEN EXHAUSTED. WHAT TYPE -- WHAT TYPE OF AUCTIONS MIGHT THERE BE FOR HER? LORRIE: -- WHAT KIND OF OPTIONS MIGHT THERE BE FOR HER? LORRIE: ANY TIME YOU FILE A CLAIM IT IS GOOD FOR ONE YEAR. THEN WHETHER OR NOT YOU HAVE COLLECTED EVERYTHING TO DEAL WITH THAT CLAIM OR NOT,. IT IS OVER. . IT COULD BE THAT SHE HAS TO FILE FOR A NEW CLAIM AND IT MAY BE THAT THIS WILL BE DEPENDENT UPON, A, IS SHE MISSING WAGES, THIS IS A WAGE REPLACEMENT PROGRAM, IS SHE MISSING WAGES FROM THIS CURRENT JOB, AND THAT SHE HAVE ENOUGH WAGES IN THE LAST 18 MONTHS TO SUBSTANTIATE A PAYMENT AMOUNT. THAT IS ONE OF THOSE CASE-BY-CASE BASIS WE CAN WORK WITH YOU ON INDIVIDUALLY. EDIE: LORI LEAVY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TONIGHT. WE KNOW YOU ARE BUSY AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR WHOLE TEAM FOR THE WORK YOU ARE DOING. WE WANT TO GIVE THE NUMBERS OUT TO GET A HOLD OF THE EDD. YOU CAN SEE THEM ON YOUR SCREEN. 866-333-4606. THE S