California officials have reinstated the requirement for state residents to demonstrate a work-search effort to obtain unemployment benefits after a pause due to COVID-19. Notably, these requirements pertain to finding suitable work that is safe to return to and is aligned with the individual’s skills, experience, usual occupation, age, and health. On the Employment Division Department’s website, officials have made resources available for unemployment applicants.

Since the pandemic’s onset, California has processed over 20 million unemployment claims and distributed over $128 billion in benefits. Currently, the maximum amount someone can obtain from unemployment benefits in California is $450 per week, with an additional $300 per week from Congress due to the pandemic. Nonetheless, this extra funding is set to expire in September. It’s been reported that employers, particularly within the service industry, are struggling to find staff. Labor experts attribute the worker shortage partially to the additional unemployment benefits that provide people with an incentive to stay at home.

Despite the imposition of a work-search requirement, former EDD director Michael Bernick believes that there is no obligation for individuals to prove their job search and doubts substantial enforcement of this mandate. Bernick anticipates a return to work will not occur until September, with the expiration of the federal unemployment supplement, the reopening of schools, and an increase in childcare. He also suggests the pandemic gave people an opportunity to consider whether or not they want to return to work and at what cost.

If you need further help on this or related matters in California, you may want to contact EDD. You can find the relevant phone numbers and other contact methods through their official platform or websites like eddcaller.com, which provide instructions on how to get through to edd live customer service representatives or secure a direct contact line for a faster response.