Language Access Plan

According to the United States Census Bureau's American Community Survey, California has about 40 million people.

Nearly 44 percent speak a language other than English at home. This makes California one of the most language-diverse states in the nation. About seven million residents, or 20 percent of the population, are considered limited English proficient (LEP). This can make it harder for Californians to access services in English. LEP populations include millions of Californians who deserve the same speed, clarity, and support when they contact EDD.

More than 200 languages are spoken across California, including Indigenous dialects. Ninety-two percent of Californians with limited English proficiency speak one of seven primary languages: Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Korean, and Armenian.

EDD supports workers who have lost jobs through no fault of their own and provides unemployment benefits to help supplement income while people look for their next job.

EDD also administers Disability Insurance and Paid Family Leave (PFL).

These programs provide partial wage replacement when workers are unable to work due to illness or injury, need to care for a new child or family member, or have a family member on active military duty.

California was the first state in the nation to launch a PFL program. In 2024, EDD celebrated 20 years of helping people take time off to care for their families during important life moments.

EDD helps job seekers connect with training and employment opportunities, while also supporting employers in finding qualified talent. These services are especially critical in times of economic change.

EDD collects payroll taxes and partners with businesses across the state to maintain compliance with payroll tax requirements and labor laws, and to support California’s economic health.

Through annual compliance monitoring reviews, our Labor Data and Compliance Branch evaluates Workforce Services sites in high agricultural areas and locations where 10 percent or more of the customer base are migrant and seasonal farm workers. The assessments help determine whether sites provide meaningful access to benefits, services, and information for migrant and seasonal farmworkers with limited English proficiency.

EDD serves one of the country’s most diverse customer populations:

• Approximately 44 percent of Californians speak a language other than English at home.
• About seven million California residents are classified as LEP.
• California is home to speakers of over 200 languages, including Indigenous dialects.
• Ninety-two percent of LEP individuals speak one of seven primary languages: Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Korean, or Armenian.

EDD engages with LEP customers daily.

• Applications for unemployment, disability, and Paid Family Leave benefits.
• Job services and payroll tax support.
• Call centers and chatbots.
• In-person assistance at field offices.
• Appeals and administrative hearings.
• Job center services.
• Community outreach and engagement events.

EDD programs are essential to economic stability.

• Temporary income support through unemployment, disability, and Paid Family Leave benefits.
• Job placement, training, and career services via America’s Job Centers of California (AJCCs).
• Inform workers and employers of California labor laws.

Effective communication is essential for individuals to access and benefit from EDD programs and services. EDD identifies languages its customers speak using claimant language preference data, interpreter usage data, census data, and the Dymally-Alatorre Language Survey.

To meet these needs, EDD provides:

• Free Interpretation in over 200 languages through contracted services
• Scheduled Interpretation for Indigenous languages
• Deaf and hard-of-hearing services through a dedicated vendor

This data helps identify threshold and emerging languages. It also ensures timely interpretation and translation of vital documents so customers can access services.

EDD programs provide time-sensitive supplemental income and employment services. Clear communication is critical for customers to:

• Apply for, receive, and maintain benefits
• Understand eligibility requirements, deadlines, reporting obligations, determinations, and appeal rights

If our customers do not understand program communications, it may lead to delayed benefits, denied claims, overpayments, penalties, or loss of appeal rights.

Language access resources currently provided by EDD include:

• Free interpreter services in more than 200 languages, including Indigenous languages and American Sign Language through contracted services.
• Vital forms for unemployment, disability, and Paid Family Leave available in 15 languages.
• UI Online translated into the top eight languages, with chatbot available 24/7 in the same eight languages.
• Over 1,360 bilingual certified staff across field offices, call centers, and claims units providing bilingual services.

Under Governor Newsom’s Executive Order N-16-22, EDD’s Language Access Plan for 2025–2027 includes current language access services, and ongoing efforts to improve access for LEP customers.

EDD’s Language Access Office (LAO) works to ensure that all people, regardless of their language preference, have meaningful access to EDD’s programs, services, and vital information.

As a cornerstone of EDD’s equity efforts, the LAO ensures that essential information is available in each customer’s preferred language and leads the department’s strategy for inclusive communication.

Key Responsibilities

• Policy Development and Oversight

Maintains and updates EDD’s language access policies, protocols, and procedures to align with customer needs, operational goals, and legal requirements.

• Legal Compliance

Coordinates with legal counsel to implement and monitor state and federal language access laws.

• Training Management

Reviews and updates language access training each year, or as needed, to reflect current policies and best practices. All public-contact employees and their direct supervisors must complete annual language access training. The LAO, in partnership with EDD University, develops and delivers these trainings. The “Serving Limited English Proficient Customers” training series must be completed within 30 days of hire and annually thereafter. Additional courses are also available to help staff use our multilingual services and resources effectively.

• Translation and Interpretation Services

Manages interpretation and written translation services for all non-Spanish languages and American Sign Language (ASL).

• Language Survey Coordination

Collaborates on the biennial Dymally-Alatorre Language Project with the Survey and Applied Research Section and submits the Department’s language deficiency and implementation plan to the California Department of Human Resources.

• Resource Management

Maintains and updates the EDD Bilingual Services Directory.

To support customers with LEP, the LAO has developed several multilingual tools and outreach materials.

Multilingual Interpreter Services Poster (DE 1210)
Displayed in EDD public-facing field offices, this poster informs customers about free interpreter services and multilingual resources. It includes text in the top 15 languages spoken in California and features accessible design elements, including a QR code that links to additional resources for Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals.

The Support You Need, When You Need It Most Flyer (DE 811)
This flyer highlights key EDD programs such as unemployment, disability, Paid Family Leave, and job services, and explains how to access them. It is available in English, Armenian, Arabic, Chinese (Traditional and Simplified), Farsi, Hindi, Japanese, Khmer (Cambodian), Korean, Punjabi, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, Thai, and Vietnamese.

• Strategic Collaboration

Leads internal workgroups and an external advisory committee to address language trends, develop solutions, and implement initiatives outlined in the EDD Language Access Plan.

• Interagency Representation

Represents EDD in interagency workgroups to improve language access across state government.

• Community Engagement and Advisory Committee

Collaborates with LEP communities, Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals, and stakeholders to gather feedback and improve multilingual services. In 2024, the LAO established the Multilingual Access Advisory Committee (MAAC), which includes EDD employees and bilingual advocates from community-based organizations across California. Members represent diverse communities, including speakers of less common languages such as Indigenous languages spoken in Latin America. The MAAC plays a vital role in improving access to EDD services statewide.

Biennial Dymally-Alatorre Language Project

The Dymally-Alatorre Bilingual Services Act aims to eliminate language barriers that prevent equal access to public programs and services. To follow the Act:

• All EDD public-contact employees participate in the Dymally-Alatorre Language Project every two years.
• This project tracks how often staff interact with customers based on the customer’s preferred language.
• This data helps us assess and plan for language access needs so we can make sure all Californians have access to the services they need.

Under state and federal law, we provide timely written communications to people with limited English proficiency.

Vital information is any information people need to understand how to get, benefits, services, or training. It also includes information required by law.

Vital forms for unemployment are available in the top 15 languages on our EDD’s Language Resources webpage. We are also expanding translation across the disability, Paid Family Leave, workforce services, and employment tax programs.

Babel Notice (DE 20) is a multilingual short notice included with an English vital form, document or electronic medium (e.g., Web site, “app," email) when being sent to customers informing them that the communication contains vital information and explaining how to access language services to have the contents of the communication provided in other languages.

Each major program has its own Babel notice:

• Disability Insurance Branch
• Unemployment Insurance Branch
• Tax Branch
• Benefit Overpayment Collections
• Workforce Services Branch

We included the Electronic Babel Notice and Translation Disclaimer on both English and translated resource pages to meet legal requirements and support people with limited English proficiency. It explains what language services are available and how people can access free interpreter services.

• We provide real-time, on-demand interpreter services in more than 200 languages through a contracted vendor.
• We also offer scheduled phone interpreter services for Indigenous languages, including multiple language variants.  
• We offer American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter through Video Remote Interpreting (VRI), both on-demand and by appointment.
• Bilingual staff play a key role in serving customers with limited English proficiency. We employ and certify staff in non-English languages and maintain a directory of about 1,360 bilingual employees.

The EDD Bilingual directory is updated periodically and lists staff who provide language services in non‑English languages, with a focus on the top 15 languages spoken in California.

To help remove language barriers, we introduced the Language Assistance request process. If staff need help assisting a customer with a language barrier or accessing interpreter services, they can contact the Language Access Office for support.

Language Access Complaints

• We are committed to equal access to our services. Our Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Office reviews language access complaints and works with LAO and EDD programs to resolve issues and provide support.
• The Equal Opportunity Is the Law (DE 503) and Discrimination Complaint Form (DE 8498) are both available on our website in the top 15 languages.

If you believe you were denied access to services because of a language barrier, you may submit the Discrimination Complaint Form (DE 8498) within 180 days to EDD’s EEO Office or the U.S. Department of Labor’s Civil Rights Center. You can file with our EEO Office by:

• Email EEOMail@edd.ca.gov
• Mail EDD EEO Office, P.O. Box 826880, MIC 49, Sacramento, CA 94280-0001
• Phone 1-866-490-8879 (toll-free) or California Relay Service 711

EEO Office Compliance Monitoring Reviews of California Local Workforce Development Areas

• As part of its oversight and monitoring responsibilities under WIOA Section 188 and its regulations, our EEO Office conducts annual onsite compliance monitoring reviews of all 45 Local Workforce Development Areas in California.
• These reviews include an assessment of access for people with limited English proficiency.

We provide essential information about benefits and services in the top 15 languages spoken in California. Our website features a Google Translate tool supporting more than 100 languages and a chatbot available in the top eight languages.

Multilingual Webpages

In 2025, we launched a redesigned benefits homepage with multilingual access as a core feature. We maintain resource pages in the top 15 languages spoken in California:

Providing access for people with limited English proficiency is central to our mission. Language access is not a one-time achievement; it is sustained discipline.

This plan reflects our commitment to providing fair, inclusive, and accessible service for all Californians. We will continue to improve how we serve people year after year.