Report 2020-128/628.1 Recommendation 4 Responses

Report 2020-128/628.1: Employment Development Department: EDD's Poor Planning and Ineffective Management Left It Unprepared to Assist Californians Unemployed by COVID‑19 Shutdowns (Release Date: January 2021)

Recommendation #4 To: Employment Development Department

To retain as much automation in initial claims processing as possible, by June 2021 EDD should determine the automation modifications achieved through its emergency processing tool that it can retain and by September 2021 it should make those a permanent feature of its UI Online application.

Six eCPT features in UIOnline were made permanent and implemented on 6/1/2022. The attached artifact provides details on the six eCPT measures.

California State Auditor's Assessment of Status: Fully Implemented

The scope of work is to implement six automated eCPT measures permanently. The requirements for this effort have been approved. The UI Online development was completed on 04/01/22 and testing started on 04/04/22. The training and procedural updates have started and will be completed by 05/13/22 (Planned). Go-Live is on schedule for 06/10/22. The six automated eCPT measures will be implemented, effective 06/10/22.

California State Auditor's Assessment of Status: Partially Implemented

The Information Technology Branch and Unemployment Insurance (UI) Branch reviewed the temporary claim filing conditions that were implemented using the emergency processing tool. In June 2021, the modifications were evaluated to see which could be made permanent features for claim filing logic in the UI Online application. After evaluation, six eCPT coding measures are candidates for permanent placement in UI Online. The number of claimants impacted by each condition as of May 2021, along with data availability, were key inputs for our evaluation. These recommended measures can be implemented with a high level of confidence and accuracy based on claimant and wage data available during the claim filing process.

Requirements and design discussions have begun for this effort and UI Branch participation is required. However, UI Branch resources have been focused heavily on the Department of Labor mandated efforts for past stimulus programs. These include projects for employment substantiation, overpayment establishment, and continued anti-fraud efforts. Due to the above resource constraints, the anticipated completion date for this effort is 9/30/2022.

California State Auditor's Assessment of Status: Partially Implemented

The Information Technology Branch and Unemployment Insurance Branch reviewed the temporary claim filing conditions that were implemented using the emergency processing tool. In June 2021, the modifications were evaluated to see which could be made permanent features for claim filing logic in the UI Online application. After evaluation, six eCPT coding measures are candidates for permanent placement in UI Online. The number of claimants impacted by each condition as of May 2021, along with data availability, were key inputs for our evaluation. These recommended measures can be implemented with a high level of confidence and accuracy based on claimant and wage data available during the claim filing process. Due to urgent, mandated efforts by the Department of Labor to make necessary changes to the Federal-State Extended Duration (FED-ED) benefit extension as well as the federal stimulus programs, the Employment Development Department has not been able to implement these six changes.

California State Auditor's Assessment of Status: Partially Implemented

The Information Technology Branch (ITB) and Unemployment Insurance Branch (UIB) reviewed the temporary claim filing conditions that were implemented using the emergency processing tool. In June 2021, the modifications were evaluated to see which could be made permanent features for claim filing logic in the UI Online application. After evaluation, six eCPT coding measures are candidates for permanent placement in UI Online. The number of claimants impacted by each condition as of the May 2021, along with data availability, were key inputs for our evaluation. These recommended measures can be implemented with a high level of confidence and accuracy based on claimant and wage data available during the claim filing process. While EDD is working to implement the six eCPT conditions by September 30, 2021, due to urgent, mandated efforts by the Department of Labor to make necessary changes to the Federal-State Extended Duration (FED-ED) benefit extension as well as the federal stimulus programs, there is a very high risk that this date may not be met.

California State Auditor's Assessment of Status: Partially Implemented

The Information Technology Branch has started analyzing the claim filing conditions that are automated using the emergency processing tool. This project is in the initial stages because all the claim filing experts have been busy implementing the American Rescue Plan and other Unemployment Insurance (UI) program changes. The EDD is committed to making automation enhancements in UI Online as suggested by the California State Auditor.

California State Auditor's Assessment of Status: Pending

All Recommendations in 2020-128/628.1

Agency responses received are posted verbatim.