LA Mayor Says City Will Help 99 Cents Only Stores Workers Navigate Unemployment Process

With more than 30 locations in Los Angeles, 99 Cents Only Stores have provided not only cheap groceries and sundries for Angelenos, but also jobs.

A week after the locally-based chain announced it would close all its locations — 371 stores in four states — L.A. Mayor Karen Bass announced the city will help the laid-off workers navigate the unemployment process and apply for benefits.

Rapid response teams from the city’s Economic and Workforce Development Department have been directed to help out, including with providing daily Zoom sessions for 99 Cents Only Stores workers in English and Spanish. Workers losing their jobs will be able to learn about unemployment benefits and be guided through the application process. They'll also be able to learn about what their health care options are, new job training, and other resources.

“We must do all we can to support Angelenos during this difficult time,” Bass said in a statement.

Workers can also obtain information and job referrals at the city’s 14 WorkSource Centers.

The city has provided these links to:

• Sign up for daily Zoom presentations to make sense of unemployment benefits, in English and in Spanish
• Obtain information about L.A.’s WorkSource Centers and their services, in English and in Spanish

Last week, 99 Cents Only Stores interim CEO Mike Simoncic said the stores would be liquidating all merchandise and closing down. He cited “the unprecedented impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, shifting consumer demand, rising levels of shrink, persistent inflationary pressures and other macroeconomic headwinds” as contributing to the discount chain’s demise.

Local consumers who relied on the chain for affordable groceries and everyday items have bemoaned its loss.

As one shopper told LAist last week: "[There’s] not enough money, everything's too high, when you come here you can get basically everything here a little cheaper."