As California grapples with unemployment fraud, jobless claimants struggle

What this episode covers

With more than a million people in California out of a job as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, the state's Employment Development Department has been flooded with applications for unemployment benefits. Meanwhile, CalMatters, a nonprofit newsroom, has been reporting that the department is also grappling with fraud — and unemployed people are ending up locked out of their benefits. Lauren Hepler, economy reporter at CalMatters, and Emily Hoeven, who writes CalMatters' daily "What Matters" newsletter, explain what's happening and how the situation has unfolded.

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