Gov Newsom announces new initiatives to help workers impacted by coronavirus
During his daily update briefing, California Governor Gavin Newsom announced a number of new initiatives to help workers who have lost jobs or wages as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
Gov Newsom announced that the Employment Development Department will launch a new call center that will be open 7 days a week from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. The unemployment branch will now add an additional 1,340 employees.
A record-breaking number of Californians are filing for unemployment, and the state is being flooded with those claims.
Newsom mentioned in Wednesday's update that California has received 2.7 million unemployment insurance claims in the past two weeks.
The Employment Development Department (EDD) said they've processed more claims this month than all of last year.
During the week of March 28, they were hit with more than 878,000 claims. That's nearly three times as many as during the worst week of the recession in the late 2000s.
740 EDD employees have been retrained to answer unemployment calls. 600 additional employees from across state government are being redeployed to help process benefits.
The EDD said it's best to apply for benefit payments online. You can find a step-by-step guide here. In addition, there are video tutorials here.
Additionally, Newsom has directed the EDD to accelerate access to the Work Share program to avert layoffs.
The EDD will provide a one-stop shop for those applying for unemployment insurance and the new federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program, according to the Governor.
The Federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program will start on April 28. It will provide federally funded benefits distinct from UI program for "certain individuals out of work or partially unemployed" because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Self-employed individuals that may be employees but lack sufficient work history and independent contractors are included as those covered in the PUA, according to a news release from the Governor's office.
Federal guidelines also include gig workers and California’s gig workers, who will continue to be protected by laws against misclassification in the administration of PUA.
PUA benefits will be issued within 24-48 hours – not the traditional 21 days for regular UI claims. Payments will be retroactive and in the form of a debit card.
“Many Californians are one paycheck away from losing their homes or from being able to put food on their tables, and COVID-19 has only made these challenges worse,” Newsom said.. “California is focused on getting relief dollars and unemployment assistance in the hands of those who need it as quickly as possible.”
Governor Newsom also announced a statewide public-private partnership that will provide $125 million in disaster relief assistance for working Californians.
The state will provide $75 million in disaster relief assistance and Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugeess, a network of foundations focused on immigration issues, have committed to raising an additional $50 million.
Those interested in supporting this fund can donate at www.immigrantfundCA.org.
The partnership will provide financial support to undocumented immigrants impacted by coronavirus who are not eligible for unemployment insurance benefits and disaster relief, including the CARES Act, due to their immigration status.
“California is the most diverse state in the nation. Our diversity makes us stronger and more resilient. Every Californian, including our undocumented neighbors and friends, should know that California is here to support them during this crisis. We are all in this together,” said Governor Newsom.
According to the Governor's office, approximately 150,000 undocumented adult Californians will receive a one-time cash benefit of $500 per adult with a cap of $1,000 per household to deal with the specific needs.
Individuals can apply for support beginning next month.
The fund will be dispersed through a community-based model of regional nonprofits with expertise and experience serving undocumented communities.
“During this moment of national crisis, undocumented immigrants are risking their own health on behalf of the rest of us, saving lives as health care workers; caring for our loved ones; and growing much of the food we depend on,” said Laurene Powell Jobs, Founder and President of Emerson Collective. “With the federal government and so many states failing to provide undocumented immigrants the economic and health supports all Americans deserve, I hope that corporations, foundations and individuals across the country will join us in providing the emergency relief these members of our community need to weather this challenging time.”
