(This page provides information that may be useful to you or a family member during challenging times. To add more helpful resources to this list, please email webmaster.)
SUBSIDIZED EMPLOYMENT
The following information is being provided to the membership as it becomes available through funding by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. These programs provide a subsidy to employers to offset some or all of the wages and costs of employing an eligible job seeker.
Open Subsidized Employment document.
ON-LINE INFORMATION TO HELP UNUMPLOYED/UNINSURED WORKERS
(The following is from the State Building & Construction Trades Council of California, AFL-CIO)
Federal and State governments and worker advocates have posted on-line information to help unemployed and uninsured workers.
Through the combined efforts of government agencies and worker advocates, new information to help unemployed and/or uninsured workers find and receive assistance has been posted on-line.
The federal government has created an excellent interactive website outlining the provisions of the Obama Administration’s new health care reform law. The site tailors information for a worker’s specific circumstances and location. It can be found at: www.healthcare.gov.
Additionally, the Safety Net for the Unemployed Workgroup, a coalition of human service, labor, state department staff, and legislative staff, has produced a very useful document with a long list of resources for laid off workers whose benefits have exhausted. The document also describes the 2-1-1 assistance line that can direct people to various appropriate resources.
This document can be found at: www.edd.ca.gov/unemployment/pdf/Assistance_For_Unemployed_Californians.pdf.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) provides a COBRA premium reduction for eligible individuals who are involuntarily terminated from employment through the end of May 2010. Due to the statutory sunset, the COBRA premium reduction under ARRA is not available for individuals who experience involuntary terminations after May 31, 2010. However, individuals who qualified on or before May 31, 2010 may continue to pay reduced premiums for up to 15 months, as long as they are not eligible for another group health plan or Medicare. For more information, go to: www.dol.gov/ebsa/cobra.html.
DO YOU KNOW ANYONE IN NEED OF FOOD?
California Association of Food Banks: www.cafoodbanks.org
1611 Telegraph Avenue, Suite 830
Oakland, CA 94612
Phone: 510-272-4435
LOOKING FOR AN UNEMPLOYMENT LIFELINE?
Just a reminder for those who are looking for local resources, Working America, AFL-CIO, has in information lifeline of local resources at: www.unemploymentlifeline.com, enter zip code, state, category, and a radius of miles that you would like to search in.
The following information was provided with permission through the California Labor Federation.
Help for Laid Off Workers
Losing a job means much more than just the loss of a paycheck. It can put your car, health care, and even your house on the line. While losing a job will inevitably be difficult, there are resources available to help make the transition a little easier. Click here to download a PDF version of this page for distribution.
1. Unemployment Insurance
- For workers who lose a job through no fault of their own, unemployment insurance (UI) provides partial income support to replace their lost wages. The program is administered by the Employment Development Department (EDD). Once you submit a claim for unemployment insurance, EDD will determine the amount of your check and the length of time you’ll be eligible for benefits. New legislation has extended benefits by another 20 weeks for most workers, so even if your checks have stopped recently, you may be eligible for more help. You should apply for UI benefits as soon as you lose your job. For complete information on Unemployment Insurance, click here.
2. Health Insurance
3. Keeping Your Home
- Many families have fallen behind in their payments due to increases in an adjustable rate mortgage or job loss. The best thing to do is to call a housing counselor to see whether you can get help with a loan modification. It is also possible that new legislation passed at the state or federal level can help you. For complete information on avoiding foreclosure, click here.
4. Job Searches and Retraining Help
- If you need to look for work in a new field because your skills are no longer in demand in California, there are programs available to help update your skills. Depending on your circumstances, you may be able to collect unemployment insurance benefits while getting retrained for a different kind of work. For more information on retraining benefits, visit http://www.edd.cahwnet.gov/pdf_pub_ctr/de8714u.pdf.
Additional Resources:
Find social services providers in your area:
•Dial 2-1-1
Call 2-1-1 in participating areas to get referrals to local social services providers such as food pantries, employment services, affordable housing counseling, support groups and much more. 2-1-1 is an information clearinghouse number sponsored by the United Way. 2-1-1 isn’t everywhere. To find out about your area: www.211.org/
