San Benito County rate exceeds state
President Barack Obama signed the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act of 2009 into law Feb. 17 in Denver, a $787 billion
economic stimulus package that may offer some relief to residents
of San Benito County, which is experiencing a double-digit
unemployment rate.
San Benito County rate exceeds state
President Barack Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 into law Feb. 17 in Denver, a $787 billion economic stimulus package that may offer some relief to residents of San Benito County, which is experiencing a double-digit unemployment rate.
The stimulus package, which found no Republican support in the House of Representatives and gained only three opposition votes to assure passage in the Senate, aims to save or create as many as 3.5 million jobs through massive government investment while boosting consumer spending through modest tax cuts.
“We obviously have a major problem; problems with foreclosure, problems with people living on the edge and problems with home values around the country just plummeting, which is affecting family, family finances everywhere,” David Axelrod, a senior advisor to Obama, told NBC. “We want to do something that will address all of those things.”
While predicting Americans would begin to see a decline in the skyrocketing unemployment rate once the money begins to flow, top Obama aides cautioned Sunday that the economy would continue its negative spiral in the near future.
“The president has said it’s likely to get worse before it gets better,” Axelrod said. “But I do expect the rise in unemployment to be retarded.”
Until unemployment starts to drop, part of the package will increase the number of weeks Californians can receive unemployment benefits to 59 weeks and it will also increase the average benefits by $25 a week.
The unemployment rate for the most recently reported month (Dec. 2008) was 9.1 percent in California, but in San Benito it peaked at 12.1 percent.
In San Benito County, residents who have lost their job through no fault of their own – meaning they were not terminated with cause and they did not quit the job – can apply file unemployment claims online at the state Employment Development Department Web site or in person at the San Benito County One-Stop Career Center.
Unemployment insurance was first enacted in 1935 as a way to help people meet basic needs such as shelter, food and clothing while they searched for a new job. At first employers who had eight or more employees were required to pay into the federal program. In 1946, coverage was extended to any employer with one or more workers who paid more than $100 in payroll in a calendar quarter.
Since 1946, unemployment coverage has been extended to include more industries such as nonprofit agencies; school districts; state, local and federal employers; agricultural employers; domestic employers who pay $1,000 or more in cash in any calendar quarter; and Indian tribes recognized by the federal government.
Employees, however, do need to earn a minimum amount during a base period in California to qualify for unemployment benefits.
“Since the law’s intent is partly to compensate a worker for loss of wages while unemployed, a claimant’s eligibility for benefits depends on having a substantial attachment to the labor force,” according to an EDD fact sheet.
In California, EDD staff determines someone’s eligibility for unemployment by looking at a period of 12 months that starts three to five months before the claim is filed. For instance, if someone were to file a claim in February 2009, their eligibility might be determined based on their earnings from Dec. 2007 through Nov. 2008.
To qualify in California, workers have to earn at least $1,300 in one quarter of the base period. If they did not earn that much in any of the quarters, they can qualify if they earned at least $900 in one quarter plus 1.25 times that across the entire base period, or $1,125.
Employees who have been denied a claim can appeal it within 20 calendar days, and employers can also appeal a claim from a former employee.
For more information or to file a claim online visit www.edd.ca.gov or visit the San Benito County One-Stop Career Center at www.sbcjobs.org. The One-Stop Career Center office is located at 1111 San Felipe Road, Ste. 107, in Hollister. Call 637-JOBS (637-5627).
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
