Backlogged payments, busy phone lines, unanswered emails and reports of ever-growing fraudulent claims — it's been a rocky time for the California Employment Development Department.
Now, however, Gov. Gavin Newsom is appointing a new lead to the state's unemployment office to right the ship.
Rita Saenz will lead the EDD as director, Newsom announced Wednesday.
Saenz, 71, was a consultant at Saenz and Associates from 2016 to 2020, and she was previously a director of California government affairs at Xerox. She's served in various other roles in the private sector. She also served as director of the California Department of Social Services from 1999 to 2003.
The appointment requires state Senate confirmation to move forward. The position's compensation is $204,864.