Calif. unemployment extension checks delayed until mid-Dec.
November 26th, 2008, 12:05 am · 37 Comments · posted by Mary Ann Milbourn
Jobless workers in California who have exhausted their benefits probably won’t be seeing their first unemployment check from the latest extension until mid-December, state employment officials say.
The reason for the delay? A clunky old computer system that takes a while to reprogram, says Loree Levy, spokeswoman for the state Employment Development Department. State workers also are off Thursday and Friday for the Thanksgiving holiday so they won’t be doing any processing.
Levy says the agency probably won’t even begin sending out claims forms for the extension until Dec. 8.
“You can contact us if you think you are eligible,” says Levy. “But we probably won’t be able to begin processing those until at least next week.”
She advises workers to use EDD’s online application system because the agency’s phone lines are jammed.
Unemployed workers typically are eligible for 26 weeks of basic benefits. Last June, with unemployment accelerating, Congress approved a 13-week extension bringing the maximum benefits to 39 weeks.
The latest extension, signed into law Nov. 21, adds seven weeks to that first extension. In states where unemployment tops 6 percent, workers can get an additional 13 weeks of benefits bringing the maximum to 59 weeks.
California workers are eligible for the 59-week maximum because the state’s jobless rate hit 8.2 percent in October, third highest in the nation. Only Michigan and Rhode Island were higher, tied at 9.3 percent.
Levy estimates nearly 290,000 California workers have received extended benefits from the first round last summer. About 120,000 of them are believed to have already exhausted the first extended benefits.
Levy says EDD staff will be contacting those 120,000 workers to determine their eligibility for the latest extension. Those letters and claims applications probably will begin going out the week of Dec. 8, she says. Claimants must fill out the paperwork and return it before any checks can be processed so it is unlikely payments will be going out before mid-month.
EDD is also recalculating benefits for the estimated 170,000 who are still collecting first extension benefits to reflect the new maximum claim of up to 20 weeks. Those claimants will be notified of any additional benefits added to their extension claim, says Levy.
The extension comes as unemployment in California is beginning to skyrocket. In October 1.53 million Californians were unemployed — up by 95,000 from September and a 487,000 increase from October of last year. In Orange County, 99,100 workers were unemployed in October, pushing the local jobless rate to 6 percent, the highest since July 1994.
For other economy news …
- Poll: Should unemployment insurance benefits be extended?
- O.C. pay raises half the U.S. average
- Meltdown recovery? It’s all about housing
- O.C. jobs loss continues, unemployment hits 5.8%
- More Calif. job losses coming in 4Q
- CSUF predicts a grim ‘09 for O.C.
November 26th, 2008 at 7:03 am
Just in time for Christmas..
November 26th, 2008 at 8:20 am
Go get a job!
November 26th, 2008 at 8:21 am
Wow……..I wonder where all the money goes,….
“The reason for the delay? “A clunky old computer system that takes a while to reprogram,” I wonder If the EDD is going shopping on Black Friday? are they going to stress about Thanksgiving Dinner?
Who has their pockets full on money?
California has gone to the dogs of America…
Wake up Cali people…..you work hard ans this is what you get in return?
November 26th, 2008 at 8:21 am
*and
November 26th, 2008 at 8:29 am
Where is Charles Dickens when you need him?
November 26th, 2008 at 9:10 am
what else is new… these people won’t even have a few dollars for Black Friday deals. figures!!!
that’s what we get for reliably paying into the system all these years. geez
November 26th, 2008 at 9:27 am
some of these people chose to be on unemployment. that’s pat of the problem.
November 26th, 2008 at 9:28 am
So many people are out of jobs in the OC, not due to anything they’ve done. In addition, not many are hiring until after the first of the year.
November 26th, 2008 at 9:28 am
That really bites. We will see more crime because of this. Just you watch!
November 26th, 2008 at 1:19 pm
There are no jobs to be had. Especially in San Diego. I’ve been looking for a while, companies don’t even have openings on their job boards. Even temp services have nothing. Unless u consider 8$ an hour flipping burgers (and i’m not hispanic so that job is not available to me) a job when u made 25$ an hour b4. In this town you can’t even eat on that money let alone pay your rent.
So you people that don’t understand the situation need to keep quiet and allow us to loose everthing we have worked for with dignity.
November 26th, 2008 at 6:21 pm
For the 1’s who say,”go get a job”, try given up yours so I can have it.
December 1st, 2008 at 7:15 am
First of all, people don’t choose to be on unemployment. We were put on EDD because the company decided to loose money and can’t pay us any longer. It’s not our fault that we have to rely on EDD for the meantime so that we can pay bills. Believe me, that’s where all of the amount is going. We don’t spend that for joy shopping. And it’s sure not our fault for not getting hired because there are so many of us unemployed fighting over the same jobs online, the newspapers, temp jobs… etc. You’ll see how it feels when you loose your job. Believe that.
Second, the way the economy is and more and more people are loosing jobs…. I wouldn’t mind flipping burgers for $8 an hour. So what if you’ve made $20 or more in the past…. that’s the past and this is now….. that’s the issue, you can’t be picky. You can only get so much from EDD. You don’t have to be hispanic, black or asian to flip burgers. I see white people in there all the time! that comment was just too racist.
December 1st, 2008 at 2:13 pm
i do have sympathy for the unemployed. they need government help in this difficult time.
December 1st, 2008 at 3:47 pm
I totally understand needing help in difficult times and yes you pay into unemployment to you should be able to collect….but heres my problem. I lost my job about 2 yrs ago and had to go on unemployment I hadnt been unemployed in over 15 years. I had to do all this crazy stuff just to be able to collect, which was register with IWorks, attend some EDD class required, submit with my claim forms where I had been looking for work and post my resume. Now I know someone who got fired from thier job because they decided to do what they wanted and go to work when they felt like it. Then was denied Unemployment and appealed the case and won because the employer didnt show up. THIS REALLY SUCKS…. cause tknow they are going to collect the SECOND extension and have not even bothered to look for employment or have they even been required by EDD to do any of the things I had to do …BUT YET GAMBLE THE MONEY AWAY and TAKE TRIPS TO VEGAS….this is WRONG
December 1st, 2008 at 7:05 pm
Well people,now you see that california is not doing so well at this time.if i were you;leave cali if you know i mean!.I left californa for that reason people,and came to kentucky to have a chance to make it in life friends.Since I have lived here,i been doing well since being in kentucky and believe me it is good here for me people,the only thing i do is stay away from haters here.Brothers and sisters and to all people out there in cail;i’m saying this out of love to my people of all race’s leave california,peace to all of you and may things get better for all of us out 5000.
December 3rd, 2008 at 12:05 pm
It seems that the unemployment department is under staffed to handle all the claims that are coming in. One would think that with this much work that hiring might be a solution to the problem, not only would it benifit the unemployment department but it would benifit some of the many who are unemployed by giving them jobs.
It dosn’t take a rocket scientist to figure that out.
December 3rd, 2008 at 7:43 pm
Yeah EDD is under staffed and there’s a gang of claims coming in so this will slow down the process.
December 3rd, 2008 at 8:55 pm
The pitiful scenario is dealing with the employees at EDD. I waited for 2-3 days to get through. When i finally connected to a live voice, he asked me questions that were not pertinent to my claim. He ridiculed me, treated me like a jerk, then hung up. The next time you call EDD, if you do get through, make sure you ask for the person’s name, etc. Not all, but the 2 I’ve talked to have horrible, condenscending attitudes. Arnold should whip them into shape. After all, we are still taxpayers paying their salaries. My EDD check is $80 less which goes towards taxes.
December 4th, 2008 at 4:14 pm
I would kill myself if I had to move to Kentucky.
December 5th, 2008 at 12:20 pm
So what does this mean. If I was approved for unemployment in october of 2008 that I will not get paid in december my rent is already late this is awful I called EDD 50 times and I hear the same prompting. I guess I can sleep in my car and starve instead I already cant afford groceries.
December 5th, 2008 at 2:34 pm
What the hell do you mean your not hispanic so the burger flipping job isnt yours, well B*t** i am hispanic and live very comfortable and i dont flip burgers so go insult some other race CRACKER (Im sure thats what u are you have to be with a comment like that! It aint the mexicans fault you are unemployed and broke
December 6th, 2008 at 5:44 am
How do you figure our state has been steadily down hill since the Hispanic race became the majority and now we have an Arabic/African president I’m going to bend over and kiss America’s a** goodbye!! Heck we should have reellected clinton’s dirty ass
December 6th, 2008 at 2:20 pm
Hey, c’mon people, there is no need for race baiting on this site! We are all in this mess together.
I became concerned about my claim for extended benefits, because I filed online on the EDD website on 11/22, ( as they requested) two days after Bush signed the new extension legislation. Since then, I have emailed two inquires online on the website inquiring as to the status of my claim. I have received NOTHING from EDD.
I then saw a post on a Congressional website, from someone who had been able to get thru to a LIVE BODY at EDD last week and had their claim processed immediately by the EDD rep. This person has already received an award status letter AND a claim form to complete and mail in for the first two eligible weeks ending 11/29 & 12/6.
That sent me into the stratosphere, so I spoke to my state assemblyman’s office on Friday, 12/5. The clerk at Assemblyman K’s office said he was sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but NO online requests have been processed at EDD and NO claim forms or award letters would be going out until AFTER January 1st, due to the antiquated computer system and the volume of claims.
What incenses me, is why CALL IN claims are being processed on the spot, no matter the date of the claim, but those of us who complied with the request of EDD and filed online, have been thrown under the bus. I tried to reach a rep at EDD on Friday for two hours, redialing every 10 seconds to no avail. This was not the first time! Why can’t EDD update the website every few days with current information as to the processing of claims? It would reduce the calls and emails to EDD and free up the staff to work more efficiently.
I wish the OC Register would investigate this and publish an updated report on the EDD delays. Communication is the key to lessen the frustration we are feeling.
Any assistance from the Register would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks.
December 7th, 2008 at 7:52 pm
Same as Remy; As soon as the President signed the second extension I went online and filed just like the website in Ky said I could do. Called next day to the office got thru ok and the rep said “you shouldn’t have done that. You just reopened the first extension”. So I waited until last Friday 12/5 and was advised by the computer help desk that the new second extension website wa now ready for us to reapply so I did. But when I called the rep, he said he didn’t think it was working yet. The website said I can’t request a check for 13 days but I’m not sure I’m even signed up. Anyone in Ky apply for the second extension yet? Anyone have info regarding Ky? Looks like some states are up and running and some aren’t.
December 8th, 2008 at 1:53 pm
Was Remy talking about California or Kentucky?
December 9th, 2008 at 8:41 am
Question. I have exhausted my 1st extension, getting 227 a week unemployment. With the 2nd extension, will that amount be the same? I have read elsewhere that the amount would be half of that. Does anyone know?
December 9th, 2008 at 5:29 pm
DK>
U will still get the same amount paid bi-weekly. What they mean by half is, half the time u receive it from your regular claim.
December 9th, 2008 at 6:24 pm
Thanks ruben!
December 10th, 2008 at 9:12 pm
CA here.. I got letter stating “my extension is allowed,” but no claim form. So…based on this message board and calling non stop since before Thanksgiving, I wasted a lot of time thinking a claim form would be coming.
SO I finally got in and they verified social, asked for last employer and address and approved only 7 weeks for the second extension. The total is 20 weeks in CA per this lady (although she seemed knowledgable perhaps she is wrong) and 13 was from the first extension and this 7 makes 20 total. Based on what she told me it is the first 26 plus the second 13 plus this 7 for a total of 46; however everything I read says it is 26 + 13+ 7+ 13 fpr a total of 59 as CA is in a higher unemployment state (8.2%).
Regardless the claim form is in mail soon and she is thinking I will get checks by the 17th if any of this helps.
December 11th, 2008 at 10:17 am
^ Thanks for the info! Got my determination letter yesterday. I am getting the same $ as my first extension. Looks like a 20 week extension also. Great that you will get your $ so quickly! Hopefully she is right on that account, it will make things a little easier for Christmas here…
December 11th, 2008 at 1:21 pm
^ likewise, I just got my determination letter today & its pretty conflicting. I also received what looks like a 7 week second extension….But the letter accompanied with my determination letter made it seem like they added 7 weeks to my first extension. thats the only thing I could figure since the rest of it didnt make sense and the guy that called for my phone interview tues couldnt explain much either.
December 11th, 2008 at 3:27 pm
To SurfCity above: People are suffering, Charlie. So you either offer them a job or you go get a life, dubbya slave. Bah humbug to you, scrooge!!!
December 13th, 2008 at 7:25 pm
I’m hispanic and never flipped burger, but I have worked in Human Resources for 35 years and just got laidoff.
Oh yeah, when this company located in Costa Mesa and Irvine advertised for factory, maintenance or kitchen help, whites never applied. Are these the jobs you complain are given to hispanics? Don’t you or your kids want to clean toilets, wash dishes or iron 8 to 10 hours a day or maybe you would rather bend over all day in the sun and pick fruits and vegtables.
No company in this country gives good jobs away to immigrant hispanics. Maybe if you would apply, these jobs would be given to you and they would have to pay more than minimum wage, but you need to apply first then you can make these remarks. I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t nor would I want my children to do any of these jobs.
Major companies are sending thousands of Customer Service jobs to India and other countries. These are good decent jobs that should be available to English speaking Americans in the US and should pay at least $12.00 an hour with benefits.
December 17th, 2008 at 5:30 am
I can see that the negative comments by men were made from those men that their IQ matches the part of them that they think is so important and special. For those that are getting REALLY late forms sent to them WHEN will the money come and will it be retroactive? What about all the weeks in December they are going without a check??? What good does an extension mean if you go many weeks without it????…….and also it is my understanding that your claim ends in one year from original filing….if that is the case it does not matter what your extension is because when your time is up at the end of that year they will NOT pay you ANY extension….you are DONE……they have conflicting information. I received a check from that said do nothing you will receive forms automatically….I get a form it says apply on line or call????……….CALL…you must be kidding a recording comes on and says we have too many calls and can not answer you. Who can we write to about the problem with the system….it is an excuse that they have an OLD computer system??????……I agree with those that are talking about outsourcing….how can we get this country to make changes on that?????………we should probably give a few more BILLIONS to the war in Iraq !!!!!!!….Those of you that have made negative comments KUDDOS to your midget mentality.
December 20th, 2008 at 10:18 pm
Hey, so this is my first time in life trying to apply for unemployment, I had my phone interview 10 days ago..but no signs of a denial letter or a check how much longer does it usually take? I’ve been going to group interviews ( apparently that’s all that’s available ) and there’s over 30 competitors for a basic retail job. Stressed any estimated time frame would help, thanks
December 26th, 2008 at 6:35 pm
does anybody know if there will be a extension after the 13 + 7 = 20 wks?
January 2nd, 2009 at 1:42 pm
i have been unemployed since march. my dealership closed and i cant even find a waitress job…and i have alot of experience. i have been to so many restaurants and noone is hiring or if they are.. there are soooo many applicants to compete with. i am getting nervous cuz unemployment check is 3 weeks late and i cant get through to them. i lost my home this year when i got laid off and now i can barely feed my dogs. anyone know how long it takes to get an unemploymnet check these days?