Monday, August 22, 2011

Ask EDD Provides Another Way to Talk To California Unemployment Offices

Got a questions about your California unemployment benefits? Wondering where your EDD Debit Card is? Well normally i'd tell you to call the California EDD at their phone number, or logon to the EDDCA website or show up at one of the many offices but now there is another way to get help from the California EDD. Check out ASK EDD at https://askedd.edd.ca.gov/asp/frmEDDCOMM.aspx which is a new website with the function of taking in questions from those receiving unemployment benefits in California and providing answers to common questions. First thing you'll see is a dropdown list of categories. Choose for example unemployment insurance, next choose a sub-category and topic to narrow down your question. Finally you'll be presented with a list of common questions, for example by choosing EDD Debit Card I found a question "Where Is My Card?" and chose that and found a great article on how to check status on your debit card and what to do if you've not received the card. This is but one example of how Ask EDD can act as a great communication tool to engage with the state. That is why the site is also called EDDCOMM as it is a great communications tool put out by the great state of California.

Minnesota Politicians Taking Deferred Compensation From Unemployment During Shutdown

Remember the Minnesota Government Shutdown? Yes the shutdown that caused thousands of Minnesota employees to go on unemployment benefits and use their UIMN Benefits to support their families? Well you may remember many politicians saying they wouldn't draw a salary while they had the government shut down. It's commonly believed that the legislature and governor were simply not doing their jobs by failing to agree to a budget thus shutting down the state. Well the following legislators who previously deferred their income, now want the state to pay up.
Anderson, Paul
Atkins, Joe
Crawford, Roger
Dittrich, Denise
Drazkowski, Steve
Garofalo, Pat
Grieling, Mindy
Johnson, Sheldon
Kahn, Phyllis
Laine, Carolyn
Loon, Jenifer
Morrow, Terry
Mullery, Joe
Norton, Kim
Scott, Peggy
Slocum, Linda
Swedzinski, Chris

The rationale is that since Minnesota workers received unemployment benefits they should receive some portion of their income for the time when the government was shut down? As the unemployment debit cards are used to pay for groceries our politicians can't even stick to political stunts they tried during a crisis. What do you think about that?

Tuesday, August 02, 2011

Is The California EDD Card More Convenient Than Checks?

The State of California just started sending out the new EDD Debit Card to replace unemployment checks. Of course you can still elect for direct deposit but if you fail to do so your California unemployment benefits will be paid on the new California unemployment debit card. Aside from saving the state a ton of money is the debit card more convenient? Perhaps not, here is a great point from one California EDD customer who does not think so. The point they raise is certainly a valid one.

No, this is not more convenient when you need it to pay your rent! First of all, the debit card isn’t here yet, whereas the check normally would have arrived by now! Rent is due tomorrow, and if I do get the card today or tomorrow…how the helldo I transfer.it into my checking account? Then, I actually have to.walk into the bank and get a teller’s help , pay that fee and have someone see what little I have in my acct from being unemployed?!