The act (Statutes 1935, chapter 352) was set up to provide "a (monetary) reserve to assist in protecting the public against the social effects of unemployment."

[citation needed] As part of Governor Reagan's Reorganization Plan of 1968, the Department of Employment was placed under the Human Relations Agency.

[3] In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the system of unemployment benefits was expanded in such a way that it enabled self-employed people to get weekly checks.

[7] The Administration Branch provides administrative support to the department, including providing business operations planning and support services, human resource services for EDD employees, and accounting for the department's annual budget.

Among other initiatives, by 2011 the Branch plans to implement a Disability Insurance Automation project for more efficient and effective electronic communications and information processing.

[8] The branch provides data processing technical support and services for one of the largest information technology environments in State government, including the planning, development, maintenance, installation, and support of telecommunications systems such as cabling, voice, and data equipment.

[12] The Public Affairs Branch provides outreach, marketing services, communications, and training that support EDD programs[8] and the employment of special targeted populations.