June 1, 2020 3:50 a.m.
On Sunday, Governor Kate Brown announced that she was replacing the director of the Oregon Employment Department.
Brown said she had asked for and received the resignation of Kay Erickson, effective immediately.
A release said David Gerstenfeld, Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance Division Director, will serve as interim director of the department.
Brown said, “in the middle of this pandemic, the continued delays from the Oregon Employment Department in delivering insurance benefits to thousands of out-of-work Oregonians are unacceptable”. She said “this is an unprecedented crisis and the problems at the department demand an urgent response”. Brown thanked Director Erickson for her years of service to the state of Oregon, but said “it is clear that new leadership is needed.”
Brown said she has directed the OED to address the current backlog in unpaid claims and clearly communicate the status of any unpaid claims to Oregonians. She said, “we will make this right, Oregonians will receive the benefits they are owed”.
Gerstenfeld has served as the Paid Family and Medical Leave Division Director in the department since September of 2018. Prior to that, he served as Unemployment Insurance Division Director since 2011. He has worked for the State of Oregon since 1997 and received a law degree from Lewis and Clark College.