EDD Computers GO Down Again!

Sacramento CA

Description

Despite Multiple Warnings, EDD Did Not Prepare for an Economic Downturn Key Points Before the claim surge, EDD did not adopt a comprehensive plan for how it would respond to economic downturns when its UI program is in higher demand. Having such a plan would have strengthened its poor response to the 2020 claim surge. EDD has for years been aware of many of the problems in its UI claims processing and customer assistance efforts that this report identifies. In fact, key problems related to its management of the UI program in 2020 were also present during the Great Recession of 2008 and 2009. Nonetheless, EDD did not take adequate steps to address these deficiencies. The auditor recommended that the Legislature should require EDD to do the following: Report at least once every six months on its website the amount of benefit payments for which it has required repayment and the amount repaid. Develop a recession plan so that it is well prepared to provide services during economic downturns. The planning process should consider lessons learned from previous economic downturns, including the recent pandemic-related claim surge. and To protect against fraudulent UI claims, the Legislature should amend state law to require EDD to regularly cross‑match its claims against data from state and local correctional facilities. To ensure that EDD effectively protects the integrity of the UI program, the Legislature should amend state law to require EDD to, by January 2022, and biannually thereafter, assess the effectiveness of its fraud prevention and detection tools, eliminate those that are not effective, and reduce duplication in its efforts. Patterson said his office received confirmation from EDD employees that the system has also been down Monday morning. The auditor recommended that the Legislature should require EDD to do the following: Report at least once every six months on its website the amount of benefit payments for which it has required repayment and the amount repaid. Develop a recession plan so that it is well prepared to provide services during economic downturns. The planning process should consider lessons learned from previous economic downturns, including the recent pandemic-related claim surge. and To protect against fraudulent UI claims, the Legislature should amend state law to require EDD to regularly cross‑match its claims against data from state and local correctional facilities. To ensure that EDD effectively protects the integrity of the UI program, the Legislature should amend state law to require EDD to, by January 2022, and biannually thereafter, assess the effectiveness of its fraud prevention and detection tools, eliminate those that are not effective, and reduce duplication in its efforts. The EDD responded to the auditors recommendations at the end of the audit, but evidently did not implement them. Are any other lawmakers expressing concern about the down computers at EDD? Anything from Gov. Gavin Newsom? “The last thing that should be happening is these failures,” Assemblyman Patterson said. “Silence and cover-up – we can’t have it!”