Please watch my Coronavirus Public Service Announcement above.
I am sure you have concerns regarding the spread of the virus called COVID-19, also called the coronavirus. As your representative, I want to pass along helpful information from the State and County.
Please know that my office remains in close contact with the Governor's Office of Emergency Services and the California Department of Public Health on this issue. We are also receiving frequent updates from our cities, communities and school districts.
The Employment Development Department (EDD) is providing a variety of support services to the individuals affected by COVID-19 in California. Below is a list of services available to constituents who are directly impacted by the coronavirus. This includes services for workers eligible for Unemployment Insurance for reduced hours or shut down of operations.
Workers
Sick or Quarantined
- If you're unable to work due to having or being exposed to COVID-19 (certified by a medical professional), you can file a Disability Insurance (DI) claim. DI provides short-term benefit payments to eligible workers who have a full or partial loss of wages due to a non-work-related illness, injury, or pregnancy. Benefit amounts are approximately 60-70 percent of wages (depending on income) and range from $50-$1,300 a week.
Caregiving
- If you're unable to work because you are caring for an ill or quarantined family member with COVID-19 (certified by a medical professional), you can file a Paid Family Leave (PFL) claim. PFL provides up to six weeks of benefit payments to eligible workers who have a full or partial loss of wages because they need time off work to care for a seriously ill family member or to bond with a new child. Benefit amounts are approximately 60-70 percent of wages (depending on income) and range from $50-$1,300 a week.
Reduced Work Hours
- If your employer has reduced your hours or shut down operations due to COVID-19, you can file an Unemployment Insurance (UI) claim. UI provides partial wage replacement benefit payments to workers who lose their job or have their hours reduced, through no fault of their own. Workers who are temporarily unemployed due to COVID-19 and expected to return to work with their employer within a few weeks are not required to actively seek work each week. However, they must remain able and available and ready to work during their unemployment for each week of benefits claimed and meet all other eligibility criteria. Eligible individuals can receive benefits that range from $40-$450 per week.
Businesses and Employers
Workplace Health and Safety
- For information on protecting workers from COVID-19, refer to the Cal/OSHA Guidance on Coronavirus.
- Businesses and employers can visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website for help with planning and responding to COVID-19.
- Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program: The SBA will work directly with state Governors to provide targeted, low-interest loans to small businesses and non-profits that have been severely impacted by COVID-19. The SBA's Economic Injury Disaster Loan program provides small businesses with working capital loans of up to $2 million that can provide vital economic support to small businesses to help overcome the temporary loss of revenue they are experiencing.
- Find more information on the SBA's Economic Injury Disaster Loans at: SBA.gov/Disaster.
Reduced Work Hours
- Employers experiencing a slowdown in their businesses or services as a result of the coronavirus impact on the economy may apply for the UI Work Sharing Program. This program allows employers to seek an alternative to layoffs — retaining their trained employees by reducing their hours and wages that can be partially offset with UI benefits. Workers of employers who are approved to participate in the Work Sharing Program receive the percentage of their weekly UI benefit amount based on the percentage of hours and wages reduced, not to exceed 60 percent. Visit Work Sharing Program to learn more about its benefits for employers and employees, and how to apply.
Potential Closure or Layoffs
Tax Assistance
- Employers experiencing a hardship as a result of COVID-19 may request up to a 60-day extension of time from the EDD to file their state payroll reports and/or deposit state payroll taxes without penalty or interest. A written request for extension must be received within 60 days from the original delinquent date of the payment or return.
For questions, employers may call the EDD Taxpayer Assistance Center.
- Toll-free from the U.S. or Canada: 1-888-745-3886
- Hearing impaired (TTY): 1-800-547-9565
- Outside the U.S. or Canada: 1-916-464-3502
DMV 60-Day Extension
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) asked California law enforcement to exercise discretion for 60 days in their enforcement of driver license and vehicle registration expiration dates beginning March 16, 2020. The DMV is taking this action so that at-risk populations, including seniors and those with underlying health conditions, can avoid required visits to DMV field offices for driver license or vehicle registration renewals. Please click here for detailed information.
Parents Impacted by School Closures
Inglewood Unified School District: Effective Monday, March 16, 2020, IUSD schools will be closed to students and visitors for two weeks. The District has created a menu of self-guided learning activities for TK-12 students. Breakfast and lunch meals will be served to children, ages 2-19, in the Inglewood community, between the hours of 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Curbside meals will be provided outside of the school cafeterias at the following locations:
- Woodworth-Monroe School
- Hudnall Elementary School
- Highland Elementary School
- Oak Street Elementary School.
For more information, click here.
Centinela Valley Union High School District: Schools will offer free grab-and-go meals to children, ages 1-18 on all school dismissal days. Serving Dates/Times March 17, 2020 – March, 6, 220 and April 6, 2020 – April 10,2020 Monday- Friday 10:30 am to 1:00 pm. Locations of Meal Pick-Up:
- Hawthorne High School
- Lawndale High School
- Leuzinger High School
For more information, click here.
Los Angeles Unified School District: LAUSD and Red Cross will open 60 Grab and Go Food Centers, staring on Wednesday, March 18th in the communities. The centers will be open weekdays from 7 am to 10 am, and each child can take home two nutritious meals. Locations within SD 35:
- Banning Senior High School
- Curtiss Middle School
- Dana Middle School
- Narbonne Senior High School
- Peary Middle School
- Markham Middle School
- White Middle School
For a list of all 60 locations, please visit: achieve.lausd.net/resources
Torrance Unified School District: Beginning on Tuesday March 17 until schools are open again, all students can visit the schools listed below for FREE breakfast and lunch each day. ANYONE under the age of 18 can pick-up two meals. These meals will be available for pick-up between the hours of 8 am and 1 pm at the following school cafeterias:
● Torrance Elementary School
● Carr Elementary School
● Edison Elementary School
● J. H. Hull Middle School
● Magruder Middle School
● Shery High School (breakfast only)
For more information, click here.
Services for Senior Citizens
To ensure older adults continue to receive meals in a manner that reduces exposure and risk to the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), all LA City/County Elder Nutrition Program sites that serve congregate meals will transition to distribute packaged/frozen meals or home-delivered meals. Please click here to see all available locations and program details.
Report Price Gouging
Price gouging refers to sellers trying to take unfair advantage of consumers during an emergency or disaster by greatly increasing prices for essential consumer goods and services. California's anti-price gouging statute, Penal Code Section 396, prohibits raising the price of many consumer goods and services by more than 10% after an emergency has been declared. If you see price gouging in your community, file a complaint.
- Online at: Oag.ca.gov/report
- By Phone: (800) 952-5225
- Or Contact your local Law Enforcement
For answers to common questions about the virus visit: http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus/FAQ.pdf
If you are unable to work due to exposure to the virus or have contracted COVID-19 while working, you may be eligible for workers' compensation benefits. Resources can be found at Labor.Ca.Gov/Coronavirus2019
To get the latest numbers on how many cases have been confirmed in LA County or to view information that is specific to you, please visit Los Angeles County's Department of Public Health website at http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus/
For material relevant to all of California - https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/Immunization/ncov2019.aspx
For more global information the World Health Organization (WHO) website is https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019
The WHO also generates daily situation reports that can be found at https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/situation-reports/
As you are all aware, this situation is fluid and ever changing. As more information becomes available, we will share with you. Please feel free to contact our office if you have any questions or concerns.
Please remember:
- Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
- Clean your hands often with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
- Avoid touching eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands.
- Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. Discard tissue and wash your hands.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Stay home and do not come to work if you are sick with respiratory symptoms like fever and cough.
Senator Steven Bradford
Representing the 35th District
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