unemployment

CONGRESS APPROVES $900 BILLION COVID-19 RELIEF PACKAGE: TRUMP SAYS HE WILL SIGN IT

 

Update December 21, 2020: The House and Senate have both approved the virus relief package, which is now on President Trump's desk.  If it is signed into law, stimulus checks could begin to be deposited in recipients' bank accounts starting in early January.

By Miriam Raftery

December 20, 2020 (Washington D.C.) – The four top leaders in the U.S. House and Senate have hammered out a $900 billion relief package, bringing welcome news just in the for the holidays to American households, businesses, schools and tribes impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Congressional leaders tied the relief measure to a bill to fund the government and prevent a shutdown, also passing stopgap measures to fund the government over the next several days. The measure is expected to be voted on and adopted Monday; the White House has indicated that President Donald Trump is prepared to sign the measure.

It’s the first relief measure since March, despite surging cases and overloaded hospitals, new business shutdowns, unemployment benefits and eviction moratoriums set to run out at year’s end. The bipartisan measure was crafted by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, and House Minority leader Kevin McCarthy.

WHAT’S IN THE BILL:


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UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS EXTENDED SEVEN MORE WEEKS FOR CALIFORNIANS

East County News Service

October 30, 2020 (Sacramento) -- Starting Saturday, October 31, Californians will be eligible for an additional seven weeks of benefits under the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program. The increase to 46 weeks is available for those who are reaching the end of their initial 39 weeks of benefits that they started as early as February 2. The process for re-computing the PUA claims is expected to take two weeks.  


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UNEMPLOYMENT HITS 30.1% COUNTYWIDE; HIGH RATES IN SEVERAL EAST COUNTY COMMUNITIES

Nationwide, unemployment rate is 14.7% -- worse than during  the Great Depression -- and San Diego has double the national rate.

By Miriam Raftery

May 24, 2020 (San Diego’s East County) – An Employment Analysis by the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) shows unemployment countywide is at 30.1%, an all-time high.  Of the more than half million (510,000) unemployed residents, nearly 460,000 lost their jobs after the COVID-19 pandemic began March 7.

That’s far higher than the national average of 14.7% -- and with 39 million Americans out of work as of last week according to the Department of Labor, the national unemployment rate is now the highest it’s ever been, even worse than during the Great Depression.

 


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PANDEMIC STEALS MOST FROM IMMIGRANT WORKING WOMEN

By Jackie Botts | CALmatters

CALmatters is an independent public interest journalism venture covering California state politics and government.

Photo:  Nearly one in three non-citizen working women in California have lost their jobs during the pandemic, according to the study by UC Merced researchers. Photo via iStock.

May 23, 2020 (San Diego) - Early estimates indicate that the coronavirus pandemic has stolen jobs from non-citizen workers — including immigrants who have green cards, work visas or are undocumented — in California at higher rates than citizens. And women have suffered greater job loss than men. 


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GOVERNOR ORDERS EXTRA WEEK OF UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS FOR WORKERS LAID OFF DUE TO COVID-19

By Rebecca Jefferis Williamson

March 18, 2020 (San Diego’s East County) - Coronavirus has disrupted the job market across California, including all of San Diego County. Governor Gavin Newsom has waived the one-week waiting period to file for unemployment and ordered an extra week of benefits for people out of work due to the COVID-19 emergency.


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UNEMPLOYMENT DROPS IN STATE AND REGION

 

East County News Service

May 21, 2018 (San Diego) -- Unemployment in California has fallen to 4.2% statewide—a new record and the lowest rate since 1976.

In San Diego County, the news is even better.  Countywide, unemployment in April dropped to just 2.9 percent as our region’s labor market continues to tighten, according to the State Employment Development Department.  Our local unemployment rate is one percent lower than April of last year, and the lowest that it’s been since January 2000, over 18 years ago.


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UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS EXPIRE FOR MILILONS OF LONG-TERM UNEMPLOYED

 

By Miriam Raftery

December 28, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) -- Long-term unemployment benefits expired on Saturday , after Congress failed to authorize an extension. People who have been out of work for six months or longer will no longer be receiving unemployment checks.

About 1.3 million Americans will lose benefits immediately, including 222,000 Californians.  By the end of 2014, it’s estimated that nearly 5 million people will lose unemployment benefits. Those checks range from $40 to $450 a week, so this is a major blow for individuals who may have no other source of income.

The New York Times reports that removing this safety net for unemployed workers will push hundreds of thousands of households below the poverty line. With the cut off, only one out of every four unemployed Americans will receive jobless benefits –the lowest proportion in half a century.


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UNEMPLOYMENT RATE REACHES FOUR-YEAR LOW

 

Stock market rallies in response to news

By Jonathan Goetz

The jobless recovery is adding jobs, slowly and steadily. April job numbers released by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics show the US unemployment rate at 7.5%, the lowest rate in four years. The main job growth was in retail and food services however, and not the same high-paying industries that saw major job losses in the Great Recession.

On Friday, the Dow responded to the positive hiring news by reaching 15,000 for the first time before closing at 14,972, up .9% from the opening bell. The S&P ended 1% higher, also breaking the record by reaching the 1,600 mark. Growth in US markets was spread over most industries, including the beleaguered steel industry, with three stocks closing higher for every one stock closing lower.


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EAST COUNTY ROUNDUP: TOP LOCAL AND STATE NEWS

November 28, 2012  --  (San Diego’s East County)--East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego’s inland regions, published in other media. This week’s top “Roundup” headlines include:

LOCAL/REGIONAL

STATE

Read more for excerpts and links to full stories.


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ECM WORLD WATCH: GLOBAL AND NATIONAL NEWS

 
 
February 16, 2012 --  (San Diego’s East County) – ECM World Watch helps you be an informed citizen about important issues globally and nationally. As part of our commitment to reflecting all voices and views, we include links to a wide variety of news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views. Top world and U.S. headlines include:    
 
WORLD 
 
  • Israelis: Iran behind Bangkok bombings: coordinated attacks around the world (CNN)
  • Israel warns US Jews: Iran could attack here (ABC)
  • Heightened security in U.S. over Iran threat (ABC) 
 U.S. 
  • Congressional negotiators reach tentative deal on payroll tax, unemployment benefits (Washington Post)
  • Lobbyists sue Obama administration after being booted from boards (The Hill)
  • Obama signs $63B FAA funding bill into law (The Hill)
  • U.S. seeks to mine social media to predict future (UT San Diego)
 
Health   
  • Alzheimer’s brain plaque ‘rapidly cleared’ in mice (BBC)
  • How your cat is making you crazy (Atlantic)
 
Scroll down for excerpts and links to full stories. 

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CREATE A NEW YOU - WITH A NEW JOB - FOR THE NEW YEAR


Corporate Exec-Turned-Novelist Says It’s Never Too Late
 
January 9, 2011 (Los Angeles)--With 7 million Americans receiving unemployment benefits, and many counting the years – instead of months – since their layoff, author Darlene Quinn says now is a good time to reinvent yourself. She cites James Sherk, a senior policy analyst for the Heritage Foundation, who says the jobs people held two or three years ago often simply aren’t there anymore.

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READER’S EDITORIAL: CONGRESS SHOULD EXTEND UNEMPLOYMENT BY DEC. 31 DEADLINE

By Sierra Severson

 
December 6, 2011 (San Diego)--The unemployment insurance fund is about to expire before the end of this year. Congress needs to act to extend this necessary safety net or Americans will suffer even greater than they already have. We need this program to be renewed for the millions of people who are seeking jobs in this economy.

 


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WILL POWER REPORT: THE LIQUIDITY TRAP


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WILL POWER REPORT: WHAT IS A JOB?


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NEW LAW HELPS UNEMPLOYED WORKERS GET TRAINING OR EDUCATION


July 29, 2011 (Sacramento) – Implementation began July 1st for AB 2058, legislation authored by Assemblyman Marty Block (D-Lemon Grove) and recently signed into law. The bill expands training and education options that unemployed workers can receive without losing their unemployment insurance benefits.


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GOVERNOR SIGNS BLOCK’S BILL TO HELP LAID-OFF WORKERS ACCESS TRAINING PROGRAMS


Bill introduced in response to problems faced by local constituents

 

October 4, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed AB 2058, authored by Assemblyman Marty Block (D-Lemon Grove). The bill will help thousands of unemployed Californians upgrade their job skills by preventing individuals from being cut off from Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits because they've enrolled in training programs to boost their employability.


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PRESIDENT PLEDGES SUPPORT FOR WORKERS, MIDDLE CLASS, & COMPANIES THAT CREATE AMERICAN JOBS DURING LABOR DAY ADDRESSES


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OBAMA SIGNS BILL TO EXTEND UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS TO 2.5 MILLION AMERICANS

 

Democrats break Republican filibuster in Senate and win passage of bill

 

July 23, 2010 (Washingon D.C.) – President Barack Obama yesterday signed into law legislation to extend unemployment benefits for 2.5 milllion out of work Americans.

 

The law extends unemployment insurance through November for out-of-work Americans who have not yet exhausted up to 99 weeks of aid. Benefits will be retroactive to late May, when the last extension expired. Benefits vary by state but will average $310 per week.


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EDITORIAL: MAIN STREET NEEDS A HAND

 

By Tracy Emblem

February 11, 2010 (San Diego) -- Government is and should be in the business of stimulating the economy to help its citizens achieve national goals like putting people back to work. When Ike Eisenhower returned from Germany after World War II, he said we need an interstate highway system to move our people and goods coast to coast like Germany’s rail system. The same could be said today about rebuilding our country’s crumbling infrastructures.


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BILL TO EXTEND UMPLOYMENT BENEFITS PASSES HOUSE

 

4 San Diego Congressional representatives vote “aye”; Hunter votes “no”

 

September 24, 2009 (Washington D.C.)—San Diego Democrats Bob Filner and Susan Davis joined with Republicans Brian Bilbray and Darrell Issa in voting  to stimulate the local economy and provide stability to American families by extending unemployment insurance benefits to those hit hardest by the recession. Rep. Duncan Hunter, who represents most of East County, voted against the bill.

 

The Unemployment Compensation Act of 2009 (HR 3548) will provide immediate assistance, extending relief to the estimated 314,000 workers who would otherwise exhaust their unemployment benefits by the end of September, and one million more whose benefits would run out by the end of the year.


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PEARLS: THE UNEMPLOYMENT CIRCUS

By Charlavan Hart

I made a bold attempt today to find out some answers for a great many people right now about unemployment checks. It always seems to be a mystery that is unsolvable. Even though you are given a number to call for answers, it is ALWAYS busy. You are sometimes given an estimate on wait time but most often now, the recording tells you to call on another day.


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