Coronavirus Impact: Californians On Unemployment To Receive Extra $600 On Top Of Weekly Benefit
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – Governor Gavin Newsom announced that starting April 12, California workers impacted by the coronavirus pandemic and receiving unemployment benefits will begin receiving an extra $600 on top of their weekly benefit.
The governor's office said in a press release that the new benefit comes as part of the new Pandemic Additional Compensation (PAC) initiated by the CARES Act and said that Californians have filed more unemployment claims in the previous four weeks than in all of 2019.
"Many Californians are feeling the effects of this pandemic, and this added benefit is very important to our workers so they have needed resources during this difficult time," Newsom said.
Newsom said for the week ending on Saturday, April 4, the state's Employment Development Department processed 925,450 claims – a 2,418% increase over the same week last year.
The governor's office said EDD paid approximately $684.3 million in unemployment benefits statewide to those in need over the last four weeks.
"I want to thank both our federal partners, as well as everyone in our Labor Agency and the staff in the Employment Development Department, who are working around the clock to ensure California workers have the resources they need to get through this difficult time," Newsom said.