I’m Not Disabled…
I’m Not Sick…
I’m Not Fired…But My Employer Just Cut My Hours (Or Temporarily Shut Down)!
I Still Need To Pay My Bills. Do I Have Rights?
While Congress and the White House squabble over what relief they will provide to Americans, California workers who lose their jobs or have their hours reduced, through no fault of their own, may be eligible to receive a partial wage replacement benefit through the California Employment Development Department (“EDD”) Unemployment Insurance Program. This includes if the employer recently reduced working hours or shut down operations, even if only temporarily, due to the Coronavirus outbreak.
A significant change here is that if you are expecting to return to your employment after this emergency, then you will not be required to look for work to continue to be eligible for benefits. But, if you are not expecting to return to your employer, you will then be required to certify that you are continuing to look for work during the duration that you are receiving benefits.
As mentioned, there are other eligibility requirements; to learn more call me or contact the EDD.
How Much Can I Expect To Receive In Unemployment Benefits?
It depends, but the range is between $40 and $450 per week and may be up to 26 weeks. You can click on the EDD Calculator to get a better estimate of your weekly benefit amount.
For more information you can refer to the EDD’s fact sheet titled “How Unemployment Insurance Benefits Are Computed.”
This may be substantially more than the one-time $2,000 check the federal government is considering giving to Americans and good combination towards staying afloat during this crisis!
What Are The Easiest Ways To File An Unemployment Insurance Claim?
- UI Online is the fastest way to file a claim. Go to edd.ca.gov/UI_Online. You will first need to register with the Benefit Programs Online before filing the claim.
- By Phone with an EDD representative Monday thru Friday (except on state holidays) 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
- English: 800-300-5616
- Spanish: 800-326-8937
- TTY: 800-815-9387
If you are thinking about filing a claim, I encourage you not to wait. Even though Governor Newsom issued an Executive Order waving the one-week unpaid waiting period, you can still expect the payments to take a few weeks while the EDD processes your claim.