In an effort to halt the spread of the novel COVID-19 virus, a number of nonessential businesses have closed down, having an unprecedented impact on the U.S. economy. Nearly 17 million people have filed for unemployment insurance, implying that the unemployment rate is already above 15 percent. This percentage is well above the rate at the height of the Great Recession. With our country’s unemployment rate increasing, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) and Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) comes as a huge relief to many workers whose financial security has been threatened due to this pandemic-induced recession. The CARES and FFRCA act was signed into law by President Trump in March. The CARES Act provides states the option of extending unemployment compensation to independent contractors and other workers who are normally not eligible for unemployment benefits. The FFRCA provides additional flexibility for state unemployment insurance agencies and additional administrative funding.
Useful links:
– Coronavirus Resources: Unemployment Insurance Relief During COVID-19 Outbreak
– Filing for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA)
Information You Need to File a Claim
You will need to provide the following information when filing:
- Last employer information including company name, supervisor’s name, address (mailing and physical location) and phone number
- Last date worked and the reason you are no longer working
- Gross earnings in the last week you worked, beginning with Sunday and ending with your last day of work
- Information on all employers you worked for during the past 18 months, including name, address (mailing and physical location), the dates of employment, gross wages earned, hours worked per week, hourly rate of pay, and the reason you are no longer working.
- Notice to Federal Employees About Unemployment Insurance, Standard Form 8 (former federal employees only)
- DD 214 Member 4 copy (ex-military only)
- Citizenship status, and, if you are not a U.S. citizen, information from your employment authorization document
Unemployment Insurance Application
Select one of the following UI applications that best describes your employment. If you have been affected by a disaster, complete the disaster section of the UI application.
- Worked in California English | Spanish
- Worked in California and Another State English| Spanish
- Served in the Military English | Spanish
- Worked for the Federal Government English | Spanish
Guidance
- UIPL 17-20: Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act of 2020-Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) Program Operating, Financial, and Reporting Instructions
- UIPL 16-20: Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act of 2020 – Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) Program Operating, Financial, and Reporting Instructions
- UIPL 15-20: Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act of 2020 – Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) Program Operating, Financial, and Reporting Instructions
- UIPL 14-20: Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act of 2020 – Summary of Key Unemployment Insurance (UI) Provisions and Guidance Regarding Temporary Emergency State Staffing Flexibility
- UIPL 13-20: Families First Coronavirus Response Act, Division D Emergency Unemployment Insurance Stabilization and Access Act of 2020
- UIPL 10-20: Unemployment Compensation (UC) for Individuals Affected by the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
- UIPL 12-01: Outsourcing of Unemployment Compensation Administrative Functions
- UIPL No. 12-01, Change 1: Outsourcing of Unemployment Compensation Administrative Functions – Claims Taking
- ET Handbook No. 301 (5th Edition, Change 1), UI Performs: Benefits Timeliness and Quality Nonmonetary Determinations Quality Review
- ET Handbook No. 395 (5th Edition), Revision to the State Operations Handbook for the Unemployment Insurance (UI) Benefit Accuracy Measurement (BAM) Program
- Short-Time Compensation (STC) landing page on WorkforceGPS