What to Expect

• A safer and easier way to apply for benefits online.
• Simple notices and forms that are easier to understand.
• More ways to serve yourself online without needing to call.
• An updated and modern contact center so it’s easier for you to reach us.
• Materials in more languages to help all Californians.

What's Next

• A live agent chat pilot project for unemployment customers to connect with an agent online and in their preferred language.
• Enhanced virtual assistant (chatbot) for disability and Paid Family Leave customers with 24/7 information about claim status and benefit payments — further strengthening the self-service features available by phone.
• Smoother online identity verification processes for unemployment customers with less or no requirement to upload documents.  
• Faster paper unemployment form processing for customers who can’t apply online.
• Expanding our Voice of the Customer program so we can improve your experience.

Our Progress So Far

• Streamlined the online disability benefits application with simpler questions and instructions for a faster and better customer experience. Customer satisfaction with the online experience is up to 80 percent.
• Modernized disability contact centers so Californians can check their disability claim status 24/7 without talking to an agent. Next, these improvements are coming to Paid Family Leave.
• Improved EDD’s virtual assistant (chatbot) so it’s now available 24/7 in California’s top eight languages.
• Enhanced online eligibility questionnaires to help more than 110,000 unemployment customers resolve their eligibility issues faster and move forward with their claims. These online questionnaires are now available for all eligibility issues, avoiding the need to schedule a telephone interview.  
• Expanded EDD’s Voice of the Customer program to gather customer feedback and keep delivering EDDNext improvements that customers want.  
• Made the online unemployment application shorter and easier to use. It now has fewer questions, less confusing language, and clearer instructions.
• Now offer unemployment applications in top eight languges: Armenian, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Korean, Tagalog, and Vietnamese through myEDD, in addition to English and Spanish.
• Launched myEDD, a safer and easier way to sign in to all benefit programs.
• We now offer direct deposit so you can get your payments faster and in a way that works best for you. You can also choose a debit card or mailed checks.