Skip to content
CapRadio

CapRadio

signal status listen live donate
listen live donate signal status
listen live donate signal status
  • News
    • topics
    • State Government
    • Environment
    • Health Care
    • Race and Equity
    • Business
    • Arts and Lifestyle
    • Food and Sustainability
    • PolitiFact California
  • Music
    • genres
    • Classical
    • Jazz
    • Eclectic
    • Daily Playlist
  • Programs + Podcasts
    • news
    • Morning Edition
    • All Things Considered
    • Marketplace
    • Insight With Vicki Gonzalez
    • music
    • Acid Jazz
    • At the Opera
    • Classical Music
    • Connections
    • Excellence in Jazz
    • Hey, Listen!
    • K-ZAP on CapRadio
    • Mick Martin's Blues Party
    • Programs A-Z
    • Podcast Directory
  • Schedules
    • News
    • Music
    • ClassicalStream
    • JazzStream
    • Weekly Schedule
    • Daily Playlist
  • Community
    • Events Calendar
    • CapRadio Garden
    • CapRadio Reads
    • Ticket Giveaways
  • Support
    • Evergreen Gift
    • One-Time Gift
    • Corporate Support
    • Vehicle Donation
    • Stock Gift
    • Legacy Gift
    • Endowment Gift
    • Benefits
    • Member FAQ
    • e‑Newsletter
    • Drawing Winners
    • Thank You Gifts
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Close Menu
 We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter 
 We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter 

As California Unemployment Claims Mount, Policy Group Warns We’ve Only Seen ‘Tip Of The Iceberg’ On Reported Job Losses

  •  Chris Nichols 
Thursday, April 23, 2020 | Sacramento, CA
Jeff Chiu / AP Photo

A man takes a photo of a sign advising that the Employment Development Department is closed due to coronavirus concerns, in San Francisco on Thursday, March 26, 2020.

Jeff Chiu / AP Photo

Another 533,000 Californians filed unemployment claims last week, the U.S. Labor Department reported on Thursday, bringing the state's total since stay-at-home orders were put in place to roughly 3.3 million. 

The filings include workers who have lost jobs, had their hours reduced or been furloughed as the state ordered businesses shut down to slow the spread of the coronavirus outbreak. 

Meanwhile, the Public Policy Institute of California reported on Thursday that the hardest hit industries in the state employ a larger share of women, Latinos and young adults. The nonpartisan think tank warned that the job losses reported so far are a fraction of those lost. 

“The staggering number of recent unemployment claims indicates that the losses in the March data are only the tip of the iceberg,” noted PPIC, citing the nearly 100,000 jobs eliminated in California in March. “April data will no doubt show deeper declines and a widening impact across sectors.”

California’s spike in jobless claims has strained state resources and led to persistent complaints about the length of time it takes to file for benefits at the state’s Employment Development Department. 

“We are working overtime on that. … We understand we have to do better,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said at his daily news conference on the state’s response to the COVID-19 crisis.

He said the state is “adding a few hundred more personnel” to help EDD process claims faster. This comes after the state redirected more than 1,300 employees to help the agency in recent weeks. 

Last week, Newsom signed an executive order to expand the agency’s call center hours. Starting this week, EDD launched a new call center that now operates seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Previously, EDD’s phone lines were staffed for only four hours each morning Monday through Friday.  

The state’s 533,000 jobless filings are down from the previous week when 655,000 unemployment claims were filed, according to the Labor Department.

The state’s filings were the most in the nation, followed by Florida’s 505,000. 

California’s unemployment rate jumped to 5.3 percent last month as employers eliminated nearly 100,000 positions, according to data for March released earlier this month by EDD. The bulk of those job losses took place in three service sector categories, according to PPIC’s blog post “Early Insights on California’s Economic Downturn,” published today.

The categories are arts, entertainment and recreation; accomodation and food; and “other services,” which includes automotive repair, personal care and dry cleaning, the post said. 

PPIC said the early data show workers in the initially affected industries are more likely to be women, Latinos and young adults compared to workers in other sectors.

While some states plan to allow businesses to reopen as early as this week, Newsom said yesterday that California needs to increase daily coronavirus testing by at least four-fold before it can restart the state’s economy.

CapRadio continues to answer questions here about filing for unemployment assistance in the state.

Workers in California who have lost income due to COVID-19 can file for benefits at the state’s Employment Development Department’s website.


Follow us for more stories like this

CapRadio provides a trusted source of news because of you.  As a nonprofit organization, donations from people like you sustain the journalism that allows us to discover stories that are important to our audience. If you believe in what we do and support our mission, please donate today.

Donate Today  

    More about Coronavirus

  • NIAID-RML via AP

    Coronavirus In California: Latest Updates And Resources

    The coronavirus has impacted nearly every aspect of life in California and around the world. Here are resources and all our coverage at CapRadio and NPR.

    Related Stories

  • Marcio Jose Sanchez / AP Photo

    Answering Questions About California’s Unemployment Benefits During The COVID-19 Crisis

    Tuesday, April 28, 2020
    Financial help is available for those who have lost income due to the pandemic, though business owners, self-employed workers and independent contractors must wait until April 28 to apply.
  • Jeff Chiu / AP Photo

    California’s Self-Employed, Independent Contractors Will Finally Have Chance To Apply For Federal Relief — At The End Of April

    Thursday, April 16, 2020
    A new state website promises to allow non-traditional workers, including some gig workers, to finally apply for federal relief benefits with the goal of paying people within two days of their application.

 Coronavirus

Chris Nichols

PolitiFact California Reporter

For the past dozen years, Chris Nichols has worked as a government and politics reporter at newspapers across California.  Read Full Bio 

 @christhejourno Email Chris Nichols

Sign up for ReCap and never miss the top stories

Delivered to your inbox every Friday.

 

Check out a sample ReCap newsletter.

Thanks for subscribing!

Thank you for signing up for the ReCap newsletter! We'll send you an email each Friday with the top stories from CapRadio.

Browse all newsletters

More Stories

Poorer students still get the least qualified teachers, but California has made progress

August 7, 2022

KEVIN KWONG

A California man’s ‘painful and terrifying’ road to a monkeypox diagnosis

August 6, 2022

Chris Nichols / CapRadio

North Sacramento residents push back on affordable housing, say city ‘dumping’ homelessness solutions in neighborhood

August 8, 2022

Most Viewed

Parties, stolen cars, a gun: 9 police complaints at Council member Sean Loloee’s disputed North Sacramento residence

A California man’s ‘painful and terrifying’ road to a monkeypox diagnosis

Northern California wildfires: Where to find updates on air quality, evacuations, and official information

Abortion is still legal in California. Here are answers to questions about access in the state.

Sacramento amends ballot measure that would ban homeless encampments. What voters should know

We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter

Most Viewed

Parties, stolen cars, a gun: 9 police complaints at Council member Sean Loloee’s disputed North Sacramento residence

A California man’s ‘painful and terrifying’ road to a monkeypox diagnosis

Northern California wildfires: Where to find updates on air quality, evacuations, and official information

Abortion is still legal in California. Here are answers to questions about access in the state.

Sacramento amends ballot measure that would ban homeless encampments. What voters should know

Back to Top

  • CapRadio

    7055 Folsom Boulevard
    Sacramento, CA 95826-2625

    • (916) 278-8900
    • Toll-free (877) 480-5900
    • Email Us
    • Submit a News Tip
  • Contact Us

  • About Us

    • Contact Us / Feedback
    • Coverage
    • Directions
    • Careers & Internships
    • Mission / Vision / Core Values
    • Press
    • Staff Directory
    • Board of Directors
  • Listening Options

    • Mobile App
    • On Air Schedules
    • Smart Speakers
    • Playlist
    • Podcasts
    • RSS
  • Connect With Us

    •  Facebook
    •  Twitter
    •  Instagram
    •  YouTube
  • Donate

  • Listen

  • Newsletters

CapRadio stations are licensed to California State University, Sacramento. © 2022, Capital Public Radio. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Website Feedback FCC Public Files: KXJZ KKTO KUOP KQNC KXPR KXSR KXJS. For assistance accessing our public files, please call 916-278-8900 or email us.