California Unemployment News Roundup (2021)
We have aggregated highlights of California Unemployment News – bringing you updates to essential reports and analysis on a single page, so you can stay informed on what’s happening regarding California Unemployment Benefits. We cover Unemployment benefit changes, pandemic benefit extensions, Latest EDD News, California Unemployment eligibility changes, lawsuits, UI Online website issues, California EDD Unemployment debit card problems, and more.
You will find below highlights taken from each story, the date of the story, and a link below to the complete story if you want to read more.
If you want to suggest a story for us to include in this feed, let us know in the comments section below.
Unemployment benefits end for millions. California leaders say state can’t extend them
Washington (The Sacramento Bee) – The unemployment benefits that ended Saturday won’t be revived anytime soon in California.
In Sacramento, as in Washington, the message is the same: The economy is recovering, jobs are plentiful and lots of other help is available if needed.
“What we’ve seen is there just has been no conversation or political will to extend these benefits,” said Jenna Gerry, senior staff attorney at the National Employment Law Center, which follows unemployment issues.
September 7, 2021 – Click here to read the full story.
More than 2 million Californians set to lose unemployment benefits
(CalMatters) – Ironically, as Californians celebrate Labor Day weekend, millions will see their unemployment benefits reduced or cut off altogether.
That’s because the federal government on Saturday is ending four key programs intended to help keep people afloat amid the pandemic — a shift that will cause about 2.2 million of the 3 million Californians currently receiving some form of unemployment insurance to completely lose their benefits, according to the state Employment Development Department.
The cutoff will primarily affect two groups of people. The first: gig workers, the self-employed and those ineligible for typical unemployment insurance.
The second: those who used up their standard benefits but were still unable to find a job.
September 3, 2021 – Click here to read the full story.
How many people are receiving second Golden State Stimulus check in California?
(AS English) – The California Legislature earlier this summer approved a second round of Golden State Stimulus for the state’s residents earning less than $75,000 annually as part of the California Comeback Plan.
Residents could see a payment of between $500 to $1,100 depending on their income, status and whether they have a dependent.
The California Franchise Tax Board began sending a new round of Golden State Stimulus payments 27 August to the first 600,000 recipients, around two thirds of Californians are eligible.
Over the coming weeks the agency will send out new batches every two weeks to approximately 9 million Californians who filed a 2020 tax return.
September 3, 2021 – Click here to read the full story.
Why California EDD fixes remain a question mark
SAN FRANCISCO (The Orange County Register) – Californians who want to know how much progress the state unemployment department has made on crucial reforms will likely have to wait until after the Sept. 14 recall election of Gov. Gavin Newsom.
State lawmakers have twice postponed a key hearing on the Employment Development Department and likely won’t take up the issue again until Sept. 21.
The hearing, originally scheduled for Aug. 17, was pushed to Aug. 24. Then a notice was published online: “HEARING POSTPONED.” Staffers told CalMatters the delay was due to scheduling conflicts inherent in bringing together four committees during the frenzied last month of the legislative session.
But the twice-moved date, when considered in light of other developments, also raises questions.
August 24, 2021 – Click here to read the full story.
Should EDD reopen unemployment offices? Right now they’re shut for good
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) – On Your Side revealed for the first time last night the Employment Development Department closed all of its unemployment offices – not just for the pandemic – but for good, 25 years ago.
The staff was moved instead to call centers, taking claims and questions by phone.
It was partly to keep them safe from disgruntled claimants, but more so to improve efficiency. So why isn’t it a better system after all these years?
So many things went wrong when claims poured in to the EDD at the start of the pandemic. Folks couldn’t get work or get benefits.
So they flooded the EDD’s call center. It was instantly overwhelmed. Which has many wondering: after 25 years of providing service by phone, why isn’t it a state-of-the-art system?
August 20, 2021 – Click here to read the full story.
Newsom’s other COVID-19 recall vulnerability: California’s broken unemployment system
SACRAMENTO (LA Times) – Nearly a year after a “strike team” appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom recommended an overhaul of California’s unemployment benefits system, hundreds of thousands of jobless residents continue to experience delays in getting payments and the state is still grappling with the loss of billions of dollars to fraud.
And while the state Employment Development Department has made some progress in adopting change, the festering problems have become a leading issue for the campaign seeking to recall Newsom from office on Sept. 14.
August 18, 2021 – Click here to read the full story.
California Unemployment News Summary
We hope this post on California Unemployment News was helpful.
Still Have Questions?
To go to the main California Unemployment page, click here: California Unemployment.
To login to your California UI Online account and view your benefits, click here: California EDD UI Online website login.
For details about the California Unemployment EDD Debit Card, click here: CA Unemployment EDD Debit Card.
If you have further questions about California Unemployment, Unemployment Benefits, or Unemployment Debit Cards, you can fill out the comment form below and we will answer your question ASAP.
Be sure to check out our other articles on Unemployment Benefits, including:
Whether Unemployment Benefits are Taxable
List of States Extending Unemployment Benefits
Massachusetts DUA Unemployment Debit Card
How to file for Unemployment (in all 50 States)
Unemployment office Phone Number (All 50 States)