South Valley Senator Melissa Hurtado wants California's unemployment lines to remain open 24/7 to answer a record number of calls sparked by the coronavirus pandemic and business closures.

In a letter addressed to Gov. Gavin Newsom, Hurtado (D-Sanger) urges the state's Democratic leader to issue a new executive order that would keep local unemployment offices fully staffed and open to take calls around the clock.

The state Employment Development Division has been saddled by a backlog of unemployment insurance claims that has left many displaced workers waiting weeks or months for benefits. 

"The COVID pandemic has created unprecedented unemployment throughout the state. While the statewide average sits around 15%, parts of the southern Central Valley is upward of 24%," Hurtado said in a news release. 

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