The California State Assembly held a hearing Wednesday on the problem of long delays in delivering benefits. Legislators want to a find way to speed up unemployment claims and appeals. Right now it can take weeks or even months to receive a check, or get into the appeal process.
"The focus has to be on how do we take the federal dollars that we're receiving and how do we get them to people so they can pay their rent, make their car payment, and support their families," says Assembly member Pedro Nava, D-Santa Barbara.
Any fix could be tough to come by. The unemployment program is $7 billion in debt and staffing is being reduced because of state worker furloughs.
