San Francisco Chronicle
By Carolyn Said
About 2.4 million Californians will have to wait weeks to receive new extended jobless benefits, according to the state Employment Development Department, which has struggled throughout the pandemic to handle a deluge of unemployment claims. The new delays apply to self-employed people and those on a federal extension plan.
The $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, signed by President Biden last week, adds $300 a week onto jobless benefits until Labor Day, and extends some special pandemic programs. But benefits expired on March 14, and the state agency said it needs more time to implement the new provisions, giving April 10 and April 30 as target dates for different categories.
“We shouldn’t ask people who are out of work, who don’t have any money coming in, to wait,” said state Sen. Josh Becker, D-Menlo Park. “That’s the reason we have unemployment insurance. It just shouldn’t take this long.”