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Illustration by Adriana Heldiz/CalMatters; iStockScammers pulled off one of the biggest suspected frauds in U.S. history while laid-off workers scrambled to survive. A CalMatters investigation finds that the EDD missed red flags and failed to make long-promised changes before the pandemic — and that once the twin crises hit, the state and its top contractors kept making money but were slow to deliver relief. -
Paul Sakuma/AP PhotoThe state’s unemployment insurance debt, which ballooned as a result of the pandemic, is in dire straits with no clear path forward.
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California lawmakers are pushing a last-minute bill that would extend unemployment benefits to workers on strike. -
Workers denied pandemic-era jobless benefits are still struggling with debt and stress — collateral damage as they fight a state employment agency on edge about fraud and an appeals system facing a ‘historic’ backlog. What happens next with these and other legal battles will help decide who pays for a multi-billion-dollar debacle three years in the making.
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A 110-page investigative report documents a hostile work environment experienced by a female attorney of color in the agency's new paid family leave program.
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California’s Employment Development Department struggled to keep up with the demands of the pandemic. But a potential recession isn’t likely to be as intense, and the department has made several changes that could smooth the process of getting benefits.
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A special task force is investigating claims and freezing accounts to determine who legitimately qualifies for the relief money. About $20 billion in unemployment money was stolen by criminals.
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Oregon's unemployment rate has stopped falling and jobs have recovered to pre-pandemic numbers. And federally-funded temporary employees are leaving the employment department.
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California’s unemployment system is too focused on rooting out fraud and minimizing business costs than providing people with timely benefits, according to a new report from the state.
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The report explores why many jobless Oregonians waited weeks or months to receive unemployment benefits. Auditors recommend an ombuds office to help claimants navigate the system.
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Oregon saw 8,700 new jobs added in June, following gains averaging 6,200 jobs in the prior seven months. The state had over 106,000 available jobs in the month.
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Oregon’s unemployment rate fell to 3.8% in March. That’s down from 4% in February.
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California has almost $20 billion of debt from the surge in unemployment claims during the pandemic, more than any other state. One reason is California’s higher unemployment rate; another is that employer taxes haven’t kept up with increasing benefits. Now, employers will see an automatic tax increase to start paying off the debt, and Gov. Gavin Newsom has proposed spending $3 billion in state funds to reduce the debt.
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The state's Employment Development Department says it suspects 98% of the 27,000 medical providers associated with disability claims are fraudulent.
