Connecting Programs, Supporting Californians

Published: March 5, 2026

Our mission is to serve Californians with speed, clarity, and care. That’s why we’re continuing to modernize our systems through EDDNext, a multi-year effort to make our unemployment, disability, and Paid Family Leave programs easier to access and navigate.

Bringing Our Programs Together

We’re entering an exciting new phase of integrating benefit claims into a single, modern system. Work is now starting on the new Integrated Claims Management System (ICMS) which will replace older, separate systems with one seamless platform.  The new system will bring our benefit programs closer together, creating a shared claims environment with consistent processes and more complete customer data.

For customers, this means:

• Easier transitions between benefits: Moving from a disability claim to Paid Family Leave, for example, will be faster, simpler, and require less re-entering of information.
• More self-service options online and on mobile devices: Check claim status, upload documents, and track updates without waiting on hold.
• Better multilingual access: Clearer communication and easier navigation for all Californians.

Building on the recent success of other partnerships with technology innovators like Salesforce, Amazon Connect, and ID.me, we will work with Deloitte and its top technological partners on this project.

This effort uses modern, open, and secure cloud-based technology deployed on Amazon Web Services (AWS), built specifically to serve Californians engaging with EDD programs. It’s designed to make our programs more connected, reliable, and responsive to customer needs.

 

Maintaining Strong Security and Customer Protections

These investments also help ensure EDD continues to stay on the cutting edge of technology used to protect our customers from potential fraudsters. The system will leverage a layered approach to identify verification directly in the myEDD portal. This approach doesn’t just rely on one piece of data, but checks multiple signals in real time, such as device type, behavior, and geolocation. For most users, the process will be seamless, fast, and automatic without having to upload documents. Our partners in these identity verification fraud prevention efforts include Socure and ID.me. EDD has also taken action to reduce improper payments through education to customers about how to report earnings accurately, and launched the Weekly Wage Reporting Tool that helps customers track and correctly report their earnings while claiming benefits.

How Modernization Supports Californians Today

This new integrated system also builds on many improvements already in place to make our services faster, simpler, and more helpful:

• Faster payments and easier reporting: The new Weekly Wage Reporting Tool helps unemployment customers report wages accurately, so they can get paid correctly and on time.
• Smarter identity verification: Tools from Socure allow real-time identity checks for unemployment claims through a streamlined experience, with efforts now underway to expand to disability and Paid Family Leave.
• Document processing upgrades: Our new Document Management System (DMS) speeds up form handling and accelerating benefit payments, supporting millions of customer documents each year.
• 24/7 virtual assistance: Our updated chatbot provides claim updates in eight languages, helping thousands of customers instantly. Live chat options will also be expanded this year.
• Improved applications: Disability and unemployment applications online are now simpler, faster, and easier to understand, with clearer instructions and fewer confusing questions.
• Expanded access: Online unemployment eligibility questionnaires, multilingual options, text notifications, direct deposit, and debit cards give customers more ways to interact with EDD, their way.
• Customer feedback in action: Our Voice of the Customer program ensures every improvement reflects what customers want and need.

A Smoother, More Supportive Experience

Every upgrade, tool, and service is designed to make life easier for Californians to navigate and manage their benefits during important times. By bringing programs together, simplifying processes, and listening to customer feedback, we are making sure that customers spend less time on paperwork and more time focused on family, health, and work.

We’re proud to serve California with care, clarity, and a commitment to continuous improvement. Visit EDDNext to learn more about our modernization journey.