What You Need to Know: The Employment Development Department is strengthening its website translations in 14 languages to make important information available in languages spoken by more than 90 percent of the Californians who speak a language other than English at home. The new approach combines advanced translation technology, in collaboration with Google Public Sector, with human expertise to improve accuracy and consistency.
SACRAMENTO — The Employment Development Department (EDD) launched an enhancement of its website to provide millions more Californians with information about unemployment, disability, and Paid Family Leave in the languages they know best.
The website translation tool supports 14 languages, bringing accurate and clear information to communities that, together with Spanish, represent more than 90 percent of Californians who speak a language other than English at home
At EDD, we put our customers first, and that means making it easier for millions of Californians to get the help they need, when they need it most. By strengthening our website translation, we're breaking down barriers to vital benefits and services. We've combined advanced translation technology with human expertise to make our information more accurate, consistent and useful for the people we serve.
Combining Advanced Technology with Human Expertise
EDD is taking on an advanced approach to website translation by combining translation technology with human expertise to deliver accurate, consistent and understandable information across multiple languages.
Google Cloud Translation API, alongside EDD’s customized in-language glossary of program names, technical terms, and other specialized language to make sure translations accurately convey the meaning of complex benefits and services information. EDD's Language Access Office provides ongoing quality checks and improvements to the glossary, allowing more consistent and reliable translations.
As the Department updates its glossary, those changes can be incorporated into future translations and continue strengthening it.
This major website translation effort now brings important benefits and services information to Californians in 14 languages. These are Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Korean, Armenian, Arabic, Farsi, Punjabi, Russian, Japanese, Hindi, Mon-Khmer (Cambodian) and Thai.
The technology also provides a foundation for future expansion to more than 100 languages, while EDD continues offering free language assistance and interpretation services for Californians who speak other languages.
"For a Department of EDD’s size, improving language access requires us to think about how we can do it consistently and at scale,” said Molly Vue, EDD’s Language Access Officer. “This work gives us a stronger foundation to keep improving how Californians access and understand EDD information."
EDD works directly with California's diverse communities, community organizations and language access partners to identify language barriers and improve access to its programs and services. Their feedback helps EDD develop clearer, more useful information, strengthen translation quality and make it easier for Californians to get the help they need.
Language Access is a Key Part of Modernization
Modernizing website translation is one part of EDD’s broader effort to improve how Californians access information and services. The Department has also expanded language access through technology, collaboration with Google Public Sector, and other service improvements recently, including:
- 24/7 help in eight languages: EDD’s chatbot is available 24/7 across the website in eight languages, helping customers get answers about benefits, claims, jobs and training, and payroll tax and business services without calling EDD.
- Online unemployment applications in eight languages: Customers can apply for unemployment benefits online in eight languages through a shorter, simpler application designed to make the process easier to understand and complete.
- Unemployment chat with a live agent: Unemployment customers can connect with an EDD agent through myEDD, with real-time translation available to help customers communicate in their preferred language.
- Breaking down language barriers with technology: The Department uses speech-to-text translation technology to transcribe and translate customer voicemails in more than 100 languages within minutes. The process has reduced voicemail processing time by 40 to 50 percent, helping staff respond faster.
- Expanded services for Deaf and Hard of Hearing customers: EDD offers video remote interpreting for real-time or scheduled American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation and continues to provide in-person ASL interpretation by appointment.
Language access is an important part of creating a better customer experience. EDD continues making information clearer, expanding access and making it easier for millions of Californians to connect with Department programs and services.
EDD invites Californians to follow its continued modernization and customer experience improvements through its Benefiting Californians newsletter.