Unemployment applications skyrocket in California, wait lines grow

The department says they anticipated a surge in claims but the number is higher than they've ever seen.

HOURS REDUCEDBECAUSE OF THECORONAVIRUS OUTBREAKCAN FILE A CLAIM FORUNEMPLOYMENTBENEFITS IN THE STATE.DAN JOINS US FROMHOME.....WITH MORE ONTHE TROUBLES SOME AREHAVING FILING...###ERIN WE RECEIVED ANEMAIL TODAY ABOUT AVIEWER HAVING TROUBLEFILING ..CLAIMING THEWEBSITE CRASHED ANDTHE PHONES ARE BACKEDUP.WE CALLED THOSEPHONE LINES AND THEAUTOMATED CALL THE MOST RECENTNUMBERS FROM THESTATE'S EMPLOYMENTDEVELOPMENTDEPARTMENT ...OREDD...SHOW OF THEONE-MILLION CLAIMS,,THAN 58-THOUSANDAPPLICATIONSPROCESSED.IT'S EXPECTED THAT ALOT MORE PEOPLE HAVEAND WILL APPLY..ADDING TO THE BACKLOG.THE DEPARTMENTSAYS THEY ANTICIPATEDA SURGE IN CLAIMS...BUT THE NUMBER ISHIGHER THAN THEY'VEEVER SEEN...CALLINGTHE INFLUX A "SUDDENSLAM" THE BIG LOADOF APPLICATIONS IS ADEMAND THE E-D-D ISTRYING TO ACCOMODATEWITH NEW STEPS...###"WE'VE GONE AHEAD AND HADPEOPLE WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK,WE'RE REDIRECTING HUNDREDS OFSTAFF FROM OTHER PARTS OF THEDEPARTMENT FROM OTHER PARTS OFSTATE GOVERNMENT...INCLUDINGRECENT RETIREES WITHUNEMPLOYMENT PROCESSINGEXPERIENCE.THE DEPARTMENTWAIVED REQUIREMENTSLIKE PROOF OF JOBSEARCH IN ORDER TOSPEED UP THE PROCESS.THEY'VE ALSO PLANTO ADD MORE HELPSECTIONS TO THEIRWEBSITE DAN AD LIB WEB PUSH DAN WRAPTHANKS DAN.CASES