Why I Hate the Employment Development Department (EDD)
So unemployment insurance, it’s great right? I think so. Friends of mine who are on it think so. Yeah for everyone. money for when you’re not working.
Yeah, here’s what they don’t tell you. So you’re supposed to apply online. There’s phone numbers to call (depending on your language: english, spanish, chinese and vietnamese), but they want you to do it online. They give you a whole sheet to read of small print about what you need to have handy to do so (gives you a headache, but it’s all there), and then there’s a three question questionnaire. Have you worked outside of California in the past 18 months is the first, awful question. Awful because I have worked outside of California in the past 18 months.
What happens when you answer yes to this question?? Well the smart little website directs you to call the office because you need to talk someone. (no website for you). Okay you say, i’m good on the phone (well not according to my last job) so let’s call one of these guys and get to the nitty gritty with a real person. I choose the english number (although I thought about the vietnamese one) and was rewarded with a voicemail message saying that too many people were calling right now and no operator was available. Yeah here’s the trick that EDD doesn’t tell you, there’s never an operator available. You always get the message and the message always hangs up on you at the end! There is no person. If you have worked outside of California in the past 18 months then good luck getting unemployment buddy!
Round 1 goes to EDD. I’ll let you know how Round 2 goes…
