As people across the nation face the end of federal unemployment benefits next month, California state departments are joining together to encourage eligible workers to apply for vital public benefit programs that continue-including money for food, rent, utilities, and health insurance.
Covered California, the Department of Managed Health Care, the Employment Development Department (EDD), Housing and Community Development, the Department of Social Services, the Department of Healthcare Services, and other state agencies and departments are working together with county and community partners to proactively continue helping people whose federal unemployment benefits will soon end.
California recently posted links to the GetCalFresh website through its unemployment benefits website, which boosted food aid applications by 108,000 this summer. New federal support makes connecting eligible Californians to benefits like this even more important. California families and individuals receiving CalFresh benefits will soon receive a significant increase in food benefits, thanks to action taken by the federal government this week.
Benefits Expiration & Other Expanded Benefits
September 4, 2021 is the expiration date for most federal unemployment benefits, including Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), Pandemic Unemployment Emergency Compensation (PEUC), the $300 Federal Additional Compensation (PAC) (also known as Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC)) supplement, and Mixed Earner Unemployment Compensation (MEUC). September 11, 2021, is the end of the Federal-State Extended Duration (FED-ED) extension. Over 3 million workers are receiving notices about these changes, with links to the other vital benefit programs that continue.
Although federal unemployment benefits will soon end for many unemployed Californians, the American Rescue Plan and California Comeback Plan (PDF) have substantially expanded other vital benefits that continue to help eligible California families:
- Cash aid for families with children (CalWORKs) through county human services agencies at the BenefitsCal website (where people can also apply for food assistance (CalFresh), and free health coverage (Medi-Cal)).
- Over $234 per person per month for food via CalFresh (GetCalFresh website or by phone at 877-847-3663, whether a person is working or not).
- Money for rent and utilities-including 100% rent and utilities-via Housing is Key (HousingIsKey website or by phone at 833-430-2122).
- Free or low-cost health insurance through Covered California or Medi-Cal (CoveredCA website or by phone at 800-300-1506). Californians who received unemployment insurance in 2021 may be eligible for Covered California's best coverage for $1 per month.
- Golden State Stimulus payments for millions of qualified residents who file taxes, even if not required. (By phone at 800-845-6500.
Individuals already enrolled in Medi-Cal or a Covered California health plan should report changes in unemployment benefits because this could lower their health coverage costs.
Find Jobs & Get Job Training
EDD has also provided resources to help claimants find jobs and get job training at the Returning to Work webpage. That includes CalJOBS, a no-cost virtual job center that includes more than a million job listings from private job boards and recruitment sites.
For more information, visit the California Workforce Development Board website.
Child Support Services and parents working together for children. Our role is to work directly with families to: