MANY OF THOSE WERE IN THE LEISURE AND HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY. ## WHILE THE UNEMPLOYMENT AND JOB NUMBERS ARE IMPROVING.. THE STATE IS FALLING BEHIND AGAIN IN ITS UNEVEN EFFORTS TO WHITTLE DOWN BACKLOGGED JOBLESS APPLICATIONS. ACTION NEWS 8 REPORTER CHRISTOPHER SALAS HAS MORE ON THE NUMBERS IN OUR TOP STORY. NEW NUMBERS RELEASED BY THE EMPLOYMENT DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMETN SHOW THE BACKLOG OF CASES IS GROWING.. DESPITE LESS FILIS NG BEING MADE IN THE STATE... RIGHT NOW... OVER 1 MILLION CALIFORNIA HNSAVE FILED CLAIMS THAT HAVE YET OT BE PAID OR RESOLVED .. THIS OVERALL TOTAL BREAKS DOWN INTO TWO NUMBERS... THOSE WHO STILL NEED TO CERTIFY FURTHER INFORMATION. .. WHCIH MAKE UP A MAJORITY OF CASES.. AND THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR AT LEAST 3 WEEKS.. IN THAT LATTER AMOUNT.. YOU CAN SEE SINCE APRIL 10.. THE EDD HAS FALLEN BEHIND.. THE NUMBERS STEADILY CLIMBING.. 40:34 "EDD is now paying 1 and a half billi donollars in claims a week ." TESTIFYING BEFORE THE STATE ASSEMB. LY EDD DIRECTOR SAZ NE TOUTED THE CHANGES MADE AT THE DEPARTMENT.. INCLUDING EXPETIDED TRAINING HUNDREDS OF NEW STAFF... EXPEDITING THE CALL PROCESS.. AND EFFORTS TCOO MBAT FRAUD 50:48 "We intend to make every effort to hold those criminals accountabl" e. STATE OFFICIALS ESTIMATE 11 BILLION OF DOLLARS IN FRADULA NT CLAIMS HAVE BEEN PAID.. ALONG WITH AN ADDITIONAL 19 BILONLI IN SUSPICIOUS CLAIMS.. IN MONTEREY COUNTY.7 . PEOPLE .. INCLUDING 5 IN THE JAIL.. WERE CHARGED WIHT DEFRAUDING MORE THAN 40-GRAND.. DOZENS OF MORE ARRESTS HAVE TAKEN PLACE.. AND NEW SECURITY MESASURES HAVE BEEN ADDED TO PREVENT FUTURE FRAUD.. BUT THE DEPARENTM ADMITS.. IT HAS SLOWED THEM DOWN. 52:24 "Our fraud filters have unwittingly swept up legitimate claimants, so we're still in a place whe re we have to reasses those filters." 50:10 "Our new efforts curbed fraud, but they've added anothelar yer of review. This new measure has stopped billions of dllars in potential 500 :2 however, we have not y struck the balance we edne between security and speed." AS FOR UNFILED UNEMPLOYMENT CLAIMS ON THE CENTRAL COAST.. THOSE NUMBERS ARE D