Letter to Rita Saenz, Director of the California Employment Development Department - Harder Asks EDD for Answers on Mass Suspension of Accounts

Letter

Dear Director Saenz,
I write today to urge the timely resumption of payments to my constituents whose benefits were frozen
without warning by the Employment Development Department's (EDD) mass suspension of accounts on
December 31, 2020.
It is abundantly clear that the EDD is failing at preventing fraud among claimants, but I ask that actions
are taken responsibly, with care not to beggar valid claimants. This mass freeze of accounts has led to
dozens of constituents reaching out to my office, pleading for assistance that they are not receiving from
the EDD. Many received little or no notice prior to the suspension of their benefits.1 Those given
notification are not being immediately provided with the means to resume their payments, with
reactivation instructions provided a week after benefit suspension.2 Slow processing and response times
are jeopardizing my constituents' housing, if not their very lives.3
In light of the current circumstances, I demand answers to the following questions:
1. What steps are you taking to expedite the resumption of payments to Californian's who have
unjustly had their accounts suspended?
2. When can those who have submitted valid identification documents expect to receive a response
and resumption of their benefits? What are you doing to help those who need immediate
assistance now?
3. How is the EDD evaluating fraudulent accounts?
4. What actions is the EDD taking to ensure that a mistake of this scale does not occur again?

It is essential that actions are taken to resume benefits and not further endanger or harm Californians. The
rapid resumption of aid immensely impacts both the recovery of our citizens and economy during these
difficult months. I look forward to your prompt response and timely action.

Source