Unemployment benefits are an initiative of the federal state. The government provides these to people who are unemployed due to no fault of theirs. During the pandemic, various people have lost their jobs, and finding a job in these times is not easy. Hence, the government has passed a law stating that there will be an increase in the benefits for some time.
Labor law attorneys for employers can explain these things to you in detail. Read this article to find out how much you will get in California if you are unemployed.
Unemployment benefits in times of Coronavirus:
Congress passed a Covid-19 relief package in December 2020, which gave people receiving unemployment benefits $300 extra every week altogether for eleven weeks. They also introduced two unemployment programs.
The first program is Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation. This provides unemployment benefits to people receiving them for an extra 13 weeks after the state unemployment benefits expire.
The second program is Pandemic Unemployment Assistance provides benefits to people who are self-employed, working as freelancers, etc. Due to the pandemic, people who can’t work, have to look after children, etc., are also eligible for this program.
The number of unemployment benefits:
The government provides these unemployment benefits to people as compensation for the wages they have lost. Hence, the amount you receive depends on how much you were earning. All states use different ways of finding out how much to pay you. Some use your previous earnings. Some look at the payments during the highest paid quarter.
Usually, these payments pay you half of what you were earning previously. Therefore, people who had higher wages would receive big cheques, but a small amount compared to what they earned previously. The maximum amount a person can receive is different in every state. Labor law attorneys Nakse Wade can help you understand this in a better way.
In some states, people who have dependents get an extra amount of money. However, this amount is not so huge. It is mostly $25 or less per dependent.
How does it work?
Now, while receiving these benefits, you get a job for a day or two, you will have to report it, and there might be a reduction in your benefits. So now, if you get a proper job, you will no longer be eligible for the benefits.
If you are eligible for the benefits, you will be receiving a notice from the authorities indicating how much you will be getting.
For how long do you get unemployment benefits?
Before the pandemic hit the world, unemployment benefits were provided by the state for up to 26 weeks and sometimes for half a year. However, now various states have reduced the period of these benefits.
Now, however, the total time in which a person can get unemployment benefits has increased to 13 weeks, making it 39 weeks.
In the end, these benefits are beneficial to you, but while you receive them, you should actively look for work!