Losing your unemployment benefits in California? Here are ways to find jobs and get help
.JPG "Anita Renteria is a lead workforce development specialist for residents at Conway Homes public housing in Stockton. More people are expected to seek jobs now that federal unemployment benefits are ending. Renteria is photographed at the Jobs Plus Employment Center for Conway Homes on June 24, 2021.")
Millions of Californians will suddenly find next week they no longer have federally funded unemployment benefits for the first time in months.
That could mean some of them will have to rely on other safety net programs, such as food stamps and cash assistance such as CalWORKs. It also could mean some workers are finding themselves in the job market for the first time in more than a year.
It won’t be easy. “It’s a perennial problem of the safety net. It’s really a patchwork of programs,” said Luke Pardue, economist at Gusto, a small business payroll and benefits provider.
Here’s a quick guide from policy experts, state agencies and others as to how to cope and what to expect.
END OF UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS
Q. When will people see the last of their federal PEUC, PUA and extra $300 and $100 payments?
A. Saturday is the expiration date for most federal unemployment benefits. Those benefits include Pandemic Unemployment Assistance for gig workers and self-employed Californians as well as Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation for those who have exhausted their regular unemployment benefits.
A weekly $300 federal bonus to the regular unemployment benefit will also end Saturday, as well as a $100 weekly bonus for those who are self-employed but also have other jobs.
The following Saturday, Sept. 11, will be the end of the Federal-State Extended Duration benefit, also known as FED-ED. That benefit is for those who have exhausted their regular unemployment benefits as well as PEUC.
Claimants are receiving advanced notice about these changes. Claimants will also receive notices specific to their expiring claims in September.
Q. When will people get their retroactive payments from those programs?
A. For those who had payments pending for the weeks before Saturday, the state’s Employment Development Department will continue to process those afterward. Claimants will be notified about what to expect based on their claim type.
Q. I know that certain unemployment insurance programs are continuing. How can I qualify for those?
A. If you still have regular unemployment benefits left, EDD will automatically move you to the program and notify you.
The state will continue to pay up to 26 weeks of regular unemployment benefits to those who qualify, as much as $450 per week. However, you must have had income reported on a W-2 form, meaning self-employed or gig workers would not be eligible.
Q. Is there much chance my federal unemployment insurance will be revived?
A. No. Congress is gone until mid-September, and there’s been little talk of bringing back the benefits. California legislators have also said they are not going to extend those benefits with state money.
RENT AND FOOD ASSISTANCE
Q. I keep reading about help with buying food, paying rent and other aid. Where do I go to learn more?
A. Each county has different websites where one can apply for benefits, such as food stamps. Check BenefitsCal.org for how to apply for benefits in your county.
Q. Are there specific agencies that can help?
A. EDD provides this list:
▪ GetCalFresh.org or 1-877-847-3663 for food aid.
▪ HousingIsKey.com or 1-833-430-2122 for help with rent and utilities.
▪ CoveredCA.com or 1-800-300-1506 for help with health care coverage.
Q. What benefits are available for me?
A. Here are some:
▪ You can get up to $234 per person per month to buy food under CalFresh. Note: The Biden administration is boosting the benefit by about 6% by October, said Cathy Senderling-McDonald, executive director of the County Welfare Directors Association of California.
▪ You can be paid up to 100% of your back rent and utilities owed through the state’s relief program.
▪ If you received unemployment insurance at any point in 2021 and don’t have health insurance, you can get covered for $1 per month through Covered California, said Peter Lee, executive director of the organization.
▪ If you are raising a child, you could be eligible for CalWORKs, which gives parents hundreds or even thousands of dollars a month. You may also qualify for the federal Child Tax Credit, which provides up to $300 per month per child. Learn more at getctc.org.
Q. What about this $600 stimulus check from the state that I heard about?
A. California is now sending $600 payments to the bank accounts of those who earned between $30,000 to $75,000 in 2020, excluding money from the unemployment benefits. Those who made under $75,000 in 2020 can also get a $500 check if they have claimed one or more dependents on their 2020 tax return. Still haven’t filed your return? Go to ftb.ca.gov.
Q. Would it help if I turned to one of my local government representatives for help?
A. Sure. They’ve been very good at helping people navigate all this throughout the pandemic. To find your Assembly member or state senator, go to http://findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov/
Q. Any other advice?
A. You should keep the EDD’s letter telling you that your unemployment insurance has been discontinued, said Senderling-McDonald. That letter could prove helpful in providing the proof of your financial situation, she said.
She also called for patience, saying county workers handling benefit applications have at times been pulled into other jobs, such as working on vaccination clinics.
Still, if you have any doubt about whether you qualify for any of the benefits, you should apply for them anyway, Senderling-McDonald said.
“Don’t talk yourself out of applying for something that can help make your ends meet,” she said. “Don’t worry about doing the math. We can do the math for you.”
FINDING JOBS
Q. What jobs are available?
A. Some sectors, such as construction, are hiring more than others. The Sacramento region has added the second-most construction jobs of any metropolitan area between July 2020 and July 2021, according to the Associated General Contractors of America.
The hospitality industry has been adding jobs by the thousands, as well as health care, according to analysis of the employment data from Beacon Economics.
There are thousands of entry level jobs in the Sacramento area alone. For instance, the EDD website lists more than 218,000 such jobs in El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento, and Yolo Counties.
In the Fresno area, EDD lists more than 54,900 farmworkers, laborers, crop, nursery and greenhouse jobs available, and another 11,000 in the Modesto area. In the San Luis Obispo area, a total of about 34,000 different entry level jobs are listed.
Q. Where can I go to learn about what jobs are available?
A. California has nearly 200 job centers that can help workers find jobs. Find the nearest location at careeronestop.org.
Other websites can help. The state of California has caljobs.ca.gov, which lists job openings in the public and private sectors. Jobs are also available on onwardca.org, which launched last year to help laid-off workers find jobs and services.
Q. I have special skills and a college degree. Is there a way to customize the search?
A. Try https://www.caljobs.ca.gov/vosnet/JobBanks/JobSearchCriteriaQuick.aspx. It’s also worth looking at this take on what employers are seeking: https://www.careeronestop.org/FindTraining/FindYourPath/whats-in-demand.aspx
Q. I want to get training. Where can I go, and what should I know?
A. Workers can visit careered.cccco.edu to learn more about what kind of programs are available at California’s community colleges.
Of note: Older workers can now access Cal Grants as they go to community colleges. If you were laid off during the pandemic, you will also be eligible for up to $2,500 in grants by the end of the year to go to college or train for a new job.
With Gov. Gavin Newsom setting a goal of having 500,000 active apprentices by 2029, California has also been ramping up its effort to create more opportunities. The list of programs is available at dir.ca.gov/databases/das/aigstart.asp.
This story was originally published September 3, 2021 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Losing your unemployment benefits in California? Here are ways to find jobs and get help."
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