Ork day frame and good morning, you're listening to k.q.e.d. San Francisco and k.q. . We are North Highlands at 9 am From k.q.e.d. Public Radio in San Francisco. This is form. I'm Scott Shafer in today for Michael Krasny. Ever since the pandemic began and unemployment surged, California's unemployment development Department has been under fire. A huge backlog of claims outdated technology. A customer help Center deluged with calls a real mess. And now comes word that the e.t.d. Has sent out at least 38000000 pieces of mail, People's Social Security numbers on it, putting recipients at risk of identity theft. We'll hear about a recent state audit and get the latest on the bureaucratic Nightmare at the That's next on form right here after the news. Live from n.p.r. News. I'm Lakshmi saying President trumps a long shot quest to flipping the outcome of the election rest today on g.o.p. Allies in Michigan and Pennsylvania. Because both States are moving to certify their vote tallies in both States were called for President elect Joe Biden, N.P.R.'s Frank or Dhoni as reports as Trump's legal losses. Mount more allies are urging a man who hates to lose to give up this fight for the sake of his legacy and our democracy. The Trump campaign is vowing to appeal a scathing ruling by a federal judge who dismissed its latest lawsuit in Pennsylvania. More Republicans like Senator Pat Toomey, of Pennsylvania are calling on President Trump to move forward with the transition and former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, a Trump our I said this weekend on a.b.c. News. It's time for Trump to accept the election results. I've been a supporter of the President's I voted for him twice, but elections have consequences and we cannot continue to Act as if something happened here, but didn't happen, but most Republicans won't go that far, are doing Biden should receive some transition resources. But also Trump should be able to pursue legal challenges, Franco or Downey as n.p.r. News. You know, more than $100.00 National security officials, including some of the most senior members to service in Repub, or to serve in Republican administrations. Also supported by than are publicly demanding Republican Party leaders condemn President Trump's refusal to concede the race. The group is known as former Republican National security officials for Biden . Another pharmaceutical company is reporting positive results from late stage trials of its experimental coronavirus vaccine. N.P.R.'s Joe Palca says the latest, data come from Britain's Astra Zeneca from large trials in the u.k., South Africa, and Brazil. The vaccine comes from a partnership between the University of Oxford and the pharmaceutical giant Astra Zeneca. It prevented 70 percent of the cases of illness overall, but the results were a bit surprising and analysis showed that the vaccine was only 62 percent effective in the standard dose and 90 percent effective and a half dose. Scientists are still puzzling over this result, but the explanation could come from how People's immune system responds to the vaccine. The latest studies involved $24000.00 volunteers, an additional $60000.00 are being recruited from to pad Kenya, India and the United States. Joe Palca n.p.r. News, a Rep for the REG it on Star bad Bunny says a singer has tested positive for Corona virus a day after he won Big at the American Music Awards. The artist was scheduled to perform at the event, but canceled. However, he was able to present the Award for favorite Latin female artists remotely bad Bonnie, whose real name is beneath the Eunice Ocasio won favorite male artists and favorite Latin album. This is n.p.r. Live from k.q.e.d. News. I'm Brian Watt, a suspect is in custody after 2 people were killed in a stabbing last night at a church in San Jose, where people without homes were sheltering from cold weather. 3 others were wounded in the attack. According to the Mercury News. Grace Baptist Church is near the campus of San Jose State. The crime scene is both inside and outside the church. San Jose Police confirm the arrest in the last hour on social media saying more details are coming later today. Mayor Sam McArdle said in a tweet this morning that our Hearts are torn for the victims and their loved ones . State lawmakers from the Bay Area are joining fellow legislators from Oregon, Hawaii, and Washington to urge Congress to provide $100000000000.00 in immediate National rent relief. They're sending a letter to Congress today signed by 6 Senators and Representatives who chair committees on housing in their respective States. The letter says more than $11000000.00, people across the West may be unable to pay their rent this winter State Senator Scott Wiener is among the signers. As is Assembly member David Chu. If we don't figure this out, we will not only see a massive wave of addictions, but will see US Guy rocketing wave of homelessness. The letter says that increased homelessness could cause coded 1000 to Spike even more in sports soccer the same as a earthquakes last, a sporting k.c. In a match, decided by a penalty kick. Shoot out. I'm Brian Watt k.q.e.d. News support this morning comes from Cal Performances at home, presenting Yo-Yo Ma in a stream for mayor Nov. 27th caliper Foreman says dot Org Support for n.p.r. Comes from a little passports, offering activity kits to help kids engaged and expand their minds to help keep kids in gauged and expand their minds. They'll explore France and Brazil and build a volcano on submarine from their kitchen table, little passports dot com,, and the listeners and members of k.q.e.d., Sacramento Valley after some morning fog mostly Sunny. The rest of today predicted highs $58.00 to $64.00 in the Valley clear and chilly Tonight. Gusty winds also after midnight, possibly up to 25 miles per hour. For the Bay Area some morning, cloudiness mostly Sunny. The rest of today highs in the upper Fifty's to the mid sixty's, mostly clear Tonight, partly cloudy in the South Bay lows in the upper Thirty's and the Forty's over night. Welcome to form. I'm Scott Shafer in today for Michael Krasny. Well, the State Employment Development Department or e.t.d. Is one of those agencies you don't think much about until you're unemployed in the of the agencies help as millions of people have found out since March, the agency is a bureaucratic mess. Yes, they've gotten millions of Californians unemployment benefits during the pandemic, but there are also Nightmare stories about unanswered phones in correct rejection of benefits. And last week, a state audit revealed that the e.t.d. Sent at least 38000000 pieces of mail with Social Security numbers on it. Putting the recipients hat, risk of identity fraud, and all this, Despite warnings about that very practice 20 months ago, this hour, the latest problems at e.d.t. And what's being done to fix them. And we begin with the California state Auditor. Elaine Hall, welcome to form. Thank you for having me. Well, tell US about this audit that came out late last week. It is actually, I believe, a follow up to another audit you conducted on e.t.v. Last year. Tell US what you found. Sure, absolutely. As a follow up, we issued the 1st report in March of 21000 and with everything that's been, happening recently with a.t.t., we thought it would be important to get out there and do a follow up particularly related to recommendations we made to try to protect Californians. So this follow up, audit looked at the same documents that we looked at back in the 2nd 21000 and reassure the 1st reports. And these are high volume documents, documents that are sent to claimants. Information that claimants send a d. And e. Responds and there we look at 10 high volume documents or forms and found that full s. Ascends are on these forms and they're going out in the mail. And as we have seen, oftentimes get lost in the mail sent to the wrong address and really puts Californians at risk. So we are very concerned that e.t.d. Has not modified these documents to remove those S ascends and use perhaps a unique modifier which is what we suggested over a year ago. And in fact, on your website, or at least on a letter that you sent, describing the findings of this audit. There are photographs of boxes and bins of mail from e.t.v. That have been sent back or missed a livered is that the concern that these forms are going out and they're not getting to the place they're supposed to go. And or they're getting stolen or like what exactly could be or is happening with this mail. It's all of the above. I mean we, we identified as you saw in the report, we saw boxes and boxes. And actually my staff looked at some of those, some of the returned mail and found examples where people had written on the outside the, on the low. This person doesn't live at this address. So clearly, Forms with full s.s. Sends for folks who have filed unemployment claims are going out to the wrong addresses and they can get into the wrong hands. And those folks, Unfortunately already are suffering from being unemployed. And may now be victims of identity theft. Well, you know, I don't want to mix up the various problems that the e.t.d. Has, but there was also an issue of fraudulent debit cards being issued. And I'm just wondering why would so many pieces of mail that are theoretically being is a response from the agency to people who have contacted the E D. D. Why are so many of them being sent to the wrong address? Well, I think it's similar to the situation we discussed in the report back in 2019. This is something a.t.t. Has known about for quite a long time. In fact, the members of the legislature communicate with each back in 2015 where they had constituents who were receiving mail similar to the recent situation that was not addressed to them. And they were concerned that again, there were folks that were, you know, perhaps being victims of identity theft. There was a problem back in 2015 with their mailing room where their machines, malfunctioned and basically a stuffed animal ups with multiple forms for multiple individuals. We talk about that in our 21000 report, and I think the same thing is occurring or has recently occurred. But even, you know, more substantial because of the volume claimants now and the volume of forms that are going out from the a.t.t. Mailing facilities. So you, as you said, you did warn or alert e.v.t. About this last year, so they've known about the problem. So when you did this follow up out of the you released last week and found the same thing. What did they say? I mean, what, why didn't they fix it? Well, that part of their discussion, and this was their discussion when we have The report again back in March of 2019 that they have a legacy system. They need to update the system and we said that is going to take way too long and that the projection then was 2000 and $24.00 and you've got to come up with interim solutions. And that's what we suggested in March of 1 teen. We had a sample of solutions for them and we thought an easy interim solution would be to use a unique modifier identify, you know, use a modifier that links that claimant with their social, but you don't have to use their social anymore on the forms. They really didn't have a good excuse or a good rationale for why they hadn't corrected these forms. In fact, when they notified US back in March of 2020 earlier this year, because they have to notify US in follow up periodically. And at that one, your response time from our March 1000 report, they said we're going to get these fixed in May of June of 2020. Well, they didn't get those fixed. And again, significant number of forms that are going out millions upon millions and that suspects millions of Californians. Well, absolutely, and I think your report says at least 38000000 pieces of mail. We only have 40000000 people in California. How much mail of a sending out right now there's multiple forms and documents that go to claimants' . So right there, there are, there were 38000000 and these are only the 10 highest volume forms. There are other forms they're sending out as well. But we focus on those 10. Now the other point that I think is important for your, your listeners to hear is we identified 3 out of the 10 documents. If you just fixed 3 documents, that's going to limit 90 percent of the problem and they didn't do it. So there's really no excuse for The nice failure to fix the situation. We're talking with going House, he's the California state Auditor. Her office just released a report on the latest and updated report really on the Employment Development Department here in California who's going to Be set by many, many problems. We've got a couple folks have tweeted, comments, I got realities, I check my claim Award letter from e.t.d. a Few days ago and Yup, my social security number was on it, at least it reached me a few months ago. Patricia tweets is Cal in California. They use the same systems as the federal government was created in the 1950 s. And willing to use the phrase, a generous one, a kind one legacy system. Kind of a euphemism. I mean, this is antiquated, right? This technology they are using. It is very, very antiquated and it will be a long term project as they said, to have to revise and update the system. But you, in the meantime, you can't ignore the risks that you're putting Californians to the risk of identity theft. You've got to come up with interim solutions at the same time you're working towards developing a New system. Yes it is. It is an archaic system. And California has, I think it's fair to say a Rotten record of acquiring New technology. I mean, they know that other agencies, parts of the state have acquired systems and spent millions and millions and millions of dollars on systems that didn't work properly. Right? That's correct. I mean, we did it a variety of different IP systems in California, and California really struggles and successfully updating our developing New i.t. Systems. But e.d.t. Is such an important function in California that, that this Department really needs to step up and Get those interim solutions implemented, but also at the same time continue to focus on updating their systems in the future . Your Agency, the auditors office does audits of all kinds of departments and we should just say, you're the nonpartisan office, correct? I mean, how do, how do you decide which things to audit? Legislator asks? Absolutely. This is, as I said earlier, there were members of the legislature, it was the consumer privacy and protection Committee. Gatto back in 2015, was the chair symbol member Baker was a member. She was on jail Act. They were communicating with a.d.d. Because some of their constituents were getting mail that was not addressed to them that had documents that had a less a sense. So this is an issue that's been brought to e.t.s. Attention 5 years ago. And these 2 members got very frustrated Assembly Member Baker ultimately came to the audit Committee and said, we need to get the audit state Auditor in there because we're just not seeing e.t. Fixing things. And that's when we were directed to do the audit that we issued in March of 21000. So we are, we are absolutely nonpartisan. The work comes to US primarily through the joint Legislative audit Committee. Now I have the authority to do the follow up work. And it's a civic life following up on recommendations that we've made and with everything that's been happening in California in the past 6 or 8 months. We felt this was really important followup work to do in conjunction with the 80 audit that the legislature under their emergency authority approved back in September and directed US to get in there and do some other work. Just before the pandemic began, Governor Newsome appointed Sharon Hilliard, e.t.v. Director back in February, and then she announced last month. She's retiring at the end of the year And also the Governor in. I think it was late July appointed. He the Strikeforce as he called it, to streamline these very problems. What has been accomplished by Either that strike force or just the agency itself? Well, we have looked at the strike team of was created in July of 2020. They should report in September, shortly before the, the audit that the legislature directed US to conduct. So we're looking at the recommendations that the strike team made. Many of them are similar to recommendations we've made in the past. I can't speak to specifically what a.t.t. Has done thus far. My staff are out there conducting the audit that we were directed to do. And we'll have the results of that audit in January. Just a couple months away. And in terms of this concern that you have about identity theft, is there any indication that in fact that has happened? We didn't see any evidence of that specifically occurring. I know that, you know, there were, as you mentioned, the b. Of a debit cards. There were concerns related to Theft of those cards. Our staff haven't seen any evidence of that, but I know there are other investigations ongoing. Just a few seconds left here, but the real quickly, I know California is one of only 3 States of it does not offer direct deposit as an option. Is that something that your office might recommend as well? Certainly something that we will we will look at and determine whether or not that makes sense for California. I don't have a specific information related to that, as I said the out of time going to our right. Well, thank you so much. Elaine Hall, a California state Auditor for joining US this hour and bring US up to date on the problems. Very much appreciate it. Thank you for having me. You bet we're going to continue this conversation and you can give US a call at 866-733-6786. Again, it's 866-733-6070 extension 86, you can also get in touch on Twitter and Facebook work at k.q.e.d. Form, or you can e-mail US. It's a form of k.q.e.d. Dot work Scott Shafer here this hour from Michael Krasny much more to come. Which preserves the legacy For future innovators. By dedicating a 3rd of its space to Arts education and Determined to shape the future of Ophthalmology. Training of Tomorrow's clinician, researchers and basic scientists, u.c.s.f. Health People in the $2.00. The government Says Revenue made Decisions should be done addressing the causes of the student loan crisis And it's coming up at 11 after Forum here from $11.00 to $1.00. Today. Our Michael Krasny. We're talking this hour about the problems at the Eve of the state's Employment Development Department. We just say goodbye to the state Auditor . Elaine, how? Joining US now, Carolyn Sayed, from the San Francisco Chronicle, She's been covering this issue for many months now. And also Daniel Yergin, she is the founder and director of the Center for workers rights in Sacramento, Carolyn and, and Ella, Welcome. Thanks for having me. Well, I think you probably were listening to the state Auditor there and based on the reporting, you've done anything that you heard that jumped out at you. Well, you just think the tremendous volume of mail that has the Social Security numbers on it. And the fact that he did as you know, got that report from the state order in March 29th teen, you know, almost 2 years ago and has not taken action 80 days. Seems like a very high down agency that is very, very slow. I guess it is like joining a cruise ship or something, but it seems very, very slow to react and to modernize it's been doing and a multimillion dollar modernization process for years and years and years now and there's no end in sight. It did react when it got this thing report from the Governor's Strikeforce. It actually shut down for 2 weeks during which nobody got their claims process in order to try to implement a New identity verification system. And I think Danielle, I can do a better job than I have telling US how well that identity verification system is or isn't working. But