Governor Newsom Appoints New Director of Bureau of Employment Development – CBS San Francisco

SACRAMENTO (CBS SF) – Governor Gavin Newsom on Friday announced the appointment of Nancy Farias as Director of the Employment Development Department, taking on the role of outgoing Director Rita Saenz since 2020.

According to a press release released by the governor’s office, Farias served as Deputy Director of Foreign Affairs, Legal Affairs, and Director of Policy at the EDD. Saenz will continue to serve the Newsom administration by continuing as Commissioner of the California Board of Aging.

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“Director Saenz has led the EDD at a critical time during the pandemic, bringing her decades of experience in the public and private sectors to address unprecedented challenges facing states and their nations. us,” said Governor Newsom. “With steadfast leadership and uncompromising dedication to public service, Director Saenz has led significant reforms at the Department to better serve working Californians, prevent fraud, and blame the bad guys. On behalf of all Californians, I thank her for taking on this important role and continuing to serve the people of our state as part of the Government. ”

The EDD has faced heavy criticism during the pandemic. California was overwhelmed by unemployment claims in March 2020 after Newsom issued the nation’s first statewide home rental order, forcing many businesses to close.

As of last July, more than 23 million claims had been filed since March 2020, of which the state paid out $158 billion in grants. But earlier this year, state officials claimed at least $11 billion of that money was fraudulent. The state labeled another $20 billion in subsidies as “suspicious.”

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Farias will begin serving as Department Director effective February 1, 2022.

“Nancy Farias has played an invaluable role in the Department’s ongoing efforts to strengthen the state’s unemployment system and make improvements to better support hardworking Californians when they need it most. I look forward to her partnership in this important work to help California’s families, businesses, and communities continue to recover and thrive,” the Governor added.

Farias, a 49-year-old Sacramento resident, has served as Deputy Director of Foreign Affairs, Legal and Policy at the California Department of Employment Development since last year. Farias was Director of Government Relations at SEIU Local 1000 from 2017 to 2020. She was Deputy Chief of Staff in the Office of Senator Henry Stern from 2016 to 2017 and District Manager in the Office of Representative Mike Gatto from from 2015 to 2016.

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Farias holds a Master of Science in Political Science from the University of Suffolk and a Juris Doctorate from Suffolk University Law School. This position requires Senate confirmation and has an annual salary of $204,613. Farias is a Democrat.