Nonstop calls and no answers: Why California wasn't prepared for surge in unemployment

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The coronavirus pandemic arrived with little warning in California, but the state department that handles unemployment claims has known for years it was unprepared for widespread job losses.The losses have arrived, with 3.2 million people filing unemployment claims in the state in the last six weeks. Many said they have struggled with a clunky online system and maddening delays when they call — often hundreds of times — to try to reach a human at the Employment Development Department.The department’s leaders have faced criticism over its outdated computer systems since bef...

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