Unemployment rates in California have hit an all-time high for the country, coming in at 5.3%, as per records from the Employment Development Department (EDD). Statewide, around 2.7 million jobs were lost due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent stay-at-home orders. While these jobs losses have partially been recouped with approximately 3 million jobs added back into the market, recent data discrepancies have raised concerns. Original figures suggested only 300,000 jobs were added between September 2022 and 2023, which was later corrected to a lower 50,000 in the same timeframe.

Monthly surveys of workers are used to calculate job growth, but these have proven unreliable, with corrected data often differing substantially from initial numbers. For instance, while initial numbers showed the state added 9,900 jobs in July 2023, subsequent correction highlighted a loss of 41,400 jobs in the same month.

The rapid growth of the tech industry during the pandemic could also be approaching saturation, influencing hiring practices in Silicon Valley. According to former director of the California EDD Michael Bernick, tech firms potentially over-hired in the initial post-pandemic surge and have since been steadily cutting back.

Furthermore, the SAG-AFTRA strike of 2023 had severe impacts on the Californian economy, displacing around 25,000 actors and writers and affecting dependent industries such as restaurants. Other sectors, however, like private education and health services witnessed significant growth, even as industries like construction suffered job losses.

In order to help navigate the state’s unemployment system, Californians can seek assistance through the Employment Development Department (EDD). The EDD provides a phone service for those requiring help with their unemployment inquiries. Individuals struggling to contact the EDD can visit eddcaller.com, a helpful resource providing information on how to successfully reach out to EDD customer service. This service can offer guidance on the fastest way to get through to EDD and can provide correct and updated EDD phone numbers. Countless people who were unsure of how to get a hold of EDD have found their answer via eddcaller.com.