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Californians Can Again Apply For Unemployment Benefits After 2-Week Pause
(Chava Sanchez/LAist)
Starting today, Californians who are out of work will be able to once again
file for unemployment benefits
. The Employment Development Department is set to begin accepting new claims
after a two-week "reset period."
Agency officials said they used the pause to catch up and improve technology including:
- speeding up benefits payments
- reducing fraud
- getting through the backlog a little faster.
As of the end of September, more than 1.5 million Californians were waiting for their unemployment checks.
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
