Assemblyman Vince Fong issues statement on EDD failures

Assemblyman Vince Fong (R-Kern County) issued the following statement regarding the mounting statewide frustration with EDD and their inability to issue unemployment benefits in a timely manner to Kern County residents and Californians across the state:

"EDD is clearly broken and many of my constituents are having difficulties. My office is working with hundreds of constituents to try and break through the many bureaucratic inefficiencies that plague EDD. It is clear that the status quo is not working for Californians across the state. The agency's current leadership and way of doing things have to change.

Recently, I joined nearly 70 of my colleagues in calling on Governor Newsom to immediately address EDD's deficiencies so that hardworking individuals and families can get the relief they need."

If you or someone you know is experiencing issues with receiving EDD benefits, please reach out to my office at (661) 395-2995 or [email protected]."

Approximately 239,000 claims are pending resolution, 889,000 claims may be eligible with additional information (online certification or wage claim information). Ultimately, over 1 million claims have not been paid or resolved statewide.

Assemblyman Vince Fong represents the 34th Assembly district encompassing the majority of Kern County and includes the communities of Bakersfield, Bear Valley Springs, China Lake, Frazier Park, Golden Hills, Inyokern, Lebec, Oildale, Ridgecrest, Taft and Tehachapi.