California unemployment: New EDD call center employees finish training, wait time still 40 minutes A year into the pandemic and the state's unemployment call center is still overwhelmed with callers. KGO Share: SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- A year into the pandemic and the state's unemployment call center is still overwhelmed with callers. On Thursday, the Employment Development Department announced that 251 new call center workers completed the department's expedited training program earlier this week. But even with nearly 3,500 agents, the average wait time to reach someone is about 40 minutes. Also, fraud remains a big issue. EDD spokeswoman Loree Levy says California is not alone.