New EDD Guidelines & The Great Resignation

 

In a move that some are calling “the great resignation,” people are choosing to pursue new career opportunities that better suit their lives. In April, four million people quit their jobs according to the Labor Department’s Job Openings and Labor Turnover Summary. While there have been plenty of political debates over whether state and federal unemployment benefits are responsible for this movement, others are arguing there’s more to it.

According to a CNBC interview, MIT professor and poverty expert Esther Duflo believes “the political debate over unemployment benefits and a tight labor market misses the bigger picture of how COVID has changed the world.” Duflo told CNBC that she feels “gender inequality, unequal access to child care, return to in-person work mandates and vaccine access are among the many pressing issues surrounding return to work in the United States and the global economic recovery.”

Regardless of the catalyst, we do know that millions of Americans are still out of work and enrolled in pandemic-related programs. Despite these numbers however, a new problem has unfolded for employers. Each week, we’re hearing more stories from business owners who are suffering from labor shortages. In the past few months, major companies like Chipotle and Waste Management have even rolled out incentives like free college tuition in hopes of finding and retaining workers. 

Amidst all this, the Employment Development Department or EED just released new guidelines on unemployment benefits. As of July 11, 2021, Californians receiving  unemployment benefits need to be searching for work to maintain their eligibility. Those requirements will vary depending on state and federal law and the type of claim they’ve filed; they include the guidelines listed below:

  • Those filing new, regular claims after July 11, 2021 must register on CalJOBS (optional for most other claimants)
  • Some claimants must attend a Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessment appointment 
  • Claimants on Federal-State Extended Duration (FED-ED) benefits must keep a written record of their effort to conduct three separate work search activities a week, such as applying for a job or attending a job fair. 
  • Claimants other than FED-ED must engage in a reasonable effort to look for work each week and written records are strongly recommended in the event EDD needs to collect further information from the claimant to determine eligibility for payment. 
  • Claimants on regular unemployment insurance must make reasonable efforts to look for work 
  • Claimants on Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) must make reasonable efforts to restart their businesses 

Experienced Employment Law Attorney, Mediator, Arbitrator, Investigator, Legal and Media Commentator 

Twice-named a U.S. News Best Lawyer in America for employment and labor law, Angela Reddock-Wright is an employment and labor law attorney, mediator, arbitrator, and certified workplace and Title IX investigator (AWI-CH) in Los Angeles, CA. Known as the “Workplace Guru,” Angela is an influencer and leading authority on employment, workplace/HR, Title IX, hazing, and bullying issues.

Angela is a regular legal and media commentator and analyst and has appeared on such media outlets as Good Morning America, Entertainment Tonight, Law and Crime with Brian Ross, Court TV, CNN, NewsNation, ABC News, CBS News, Fox 11 News, KTLA-5, the Black News Channel, Fox Soul – The Black Report, NPR, KPCC, Airtalk-89.3, KJLH Front Page with Dominique DiPrima, the New York Times, the Washington Post, the LA Times, Forbes.com, Yahoo! Entertainment, People Magazine, Essence Magazine, the Los Angeles Sentinel, LA Focus, Daily Journal, Our Weekly and the Wave Newspapers.

Angela is a member of the panel of distinguished mediators and arbitrators with Judicate West, a California dispute resolution company.  She also owns her own dispute resolution law firm, the Reddock Law Group of Los Angeles, specializing in the mediation, arbitration, and investigation of employment discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and other workplace claims, along with Title IX, sexual harassment, assault, and misconduct conduct cases, along with hazing and bullying cases in K-12 schools, colleges and universities, fraternities and sororities; fire, police and other public safety agencies and departments; and other private and public sector workplaces.

For more information regarding resources for employers, businesses, and employees during this time, connect with her on LinkedIn for new updates, or contact her here. You may also follow her on Instagram.

This communication is not legal advice. It is educational only. For legal advice, consult with an experienced employment law attorney in your state or city.

 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *