California could create its own $600 weekly unemployment benefit

[TexasTowelie]

SACRAMENTO — As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to damage the California economy, state lawmakers are weighing whether to provide a supplemental unemployment benefit with the extra $600 per week provided by the federal government expiring this month.

Assemblyman Phil Ting (D-San Francisco), the leader of a legislative working group, said there is support among Democratic lawmakers for providing up to $600 weekly to jobless Californians if Congress fails to act on extending the federal pandemic benefit.

“There are so many people who are relying on that money to pay rent, to buy food. I think the state has to do everything possible to help them pay their bills,” said Ting, chairman of the Assembly Budget Committee.

With the end of the federal supplement on July 25, state unemployment checks will go back to the weekly average of $340 unless the state or federal government restore supplemental benefits.

Read more: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-07-28/california-coronavirus-unemployment-benefit-congress

[jorgevlorgan]

1. I've been waiting for this to happen.

Trusting the GOP to do the right thing is like trusting CBP to not violate your constitutional rights at a protest.

[stopbush]

2. About time. At $450 a week, CA has one of the lower maximum weekly UI benefits

in the nation, especially when you factor in the CoL.

My family would certainly benefit. We’re sweating bullets here over the Senate dicking around with this.

That said, the article seems to be saying that CA would raise it’s max weekly rate, not add $600 on top of what the state is currently paying. The difference between $600 and $450+$600 is a big difference.

[MichMan]

3. All states need to step it up

People find themselves unemployed all the time, not just now in this pandemic.

This is the very first time that there has been any federal supplement. Next year, when people are unemployed due to downsizing etc., there will be no federal extra $$ added on.

In the 2009 recession, with rapid job loss, while the length of time one could draw benefits was extended, the amounts never were. I like many others received less than 25% of my normal income for an entire year. The same max benefit in my state, of $362 in 2009, is still unchanged 11 years later.

[stopbush]

4. I can thank periods of unemployment and ageism for burning through our savings

here in CA over the past 15 years. That low UI benefit doesn’t do much when rent alone is $36,000 a year.