What programs and benefits are available to help me through this crisis? The following questions and answers provide general information to help guide you as well as links to the relevant programs and departments.
For additional resources and information, please refer to the Labor and Workforce Development Agency website below:
As a California worker, can I take time off of work due to COVID-19?
Under current state law, all employers must offer their employees paid sick time, accrued at 1 hour per 30 hours worked up to a total of 24 hours. This leave must be paid out at the employee’s hourly wage.
Sick leave may be used for the diagnosis, care or treatment of an existing health condition of, or preventative care for, an employee or an employee’s family member. This includes the coronavirus. Employees begin to accrue sick time after 30 days of employment and may begin to use their accrued sick time on their 90th day of employment.
Please refer to www.dir.ca.gov/dlse/paid_sick_leave.htm for more information on California’s Paid Sick Leave provisions.
What benefits are available if I am sick and cannot work?
If you are unable to work because you have or were exposed to COVID-19 and are in quarantine, you may be able to apply for State Disability Insurance (SDI) through the Employment Development Department (if you have been contributing to the program through tax deductions). NOTE that for this benefit program you will need a doctor to certify your condition. SDI benefits provide short-term benefit payments for non-work related illnesses, injuries, or pregnancy. The SDI program provides a wage replacement of about 60 to 70 percent (depending on income) for a maximum of 52 weeks.
For more information and to apply for SDI, please go to:
www.edd.ca.gov/claims-espanol.htm (En Espanol)
What if I am not sick, but a member of my family is and I can’t go to work because I need to take care of them?
If you cannot work because you are caring for an ill or quarantined family member with COVID-19, you may be eligible for Paid Family Leave (PFL) benefits. PFL provides eligible employees (those paying into SDI) with up to 6 weeks of wage replacement benefits to care for a seriously ill child, spouse or registered domestic partner, parent, siblings, grandparents, grandchildren, and parents-in-laws. PFL provides a wage replacement of approximately 60 to 70 percent of their weekly salary, with a maximum of $1,300 per week.
Note: Citizenship and immigration status do not affect eligibility.
For more information and to apply for PFL, please go to:
Website available in many languages
What if I am not sick and not caring for a family member, but have had hours reduced at work or laid off because of COVID-19?
If you are unemployed or have had work hours reduced due to COVID-19, you can apply for Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits. UI provides partial wage replacement benefits to workers who lose their job or have hours reduced, through no fault of their own. UI benefits range from $40-$450 per week, depending on income, and can be received for up to 26 weeks. You may also be eligible for UI if you choose to stay home from work due to underlying health conditions and concerns about exposure to the virus. The Employment Development Department will seek details from you to determine eligibility.
To more information and to apply for UI benefits, please go to:
www.edd.ca.gov/Unemployment/default_espanol.htm (En Espanol)
What if my child’s school or daycare has closed due to COVID-19 and I can’t work because I must care for my children, can I receive Unemployment Insurance benefits?
You may be eligible for UI benefits. The Employment Development Department will determine eligibility on a case-by-case basis by scheduling a phone interview with you. UI provides partial wage replacement benefits to workers who lose their job or have hours reduced, through no fault of their own. UI benefits range from $40-$450 per week, depending on income, and can be received for up to 26 weeks.
To more information and to apply for UI benefits, please go to:
www.edd.ca.gov/Unemployment/default_espanol.htm (En Espanol)
What additional benefits am I entitled to under the recently passed federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA)? (NOTE FOR US: Trump needs to sign)
Outside of the Paid Sick Leave outlined above, under the new federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), you may be entitled to job-protected leave:
To self-isolate because of a diagnosis of COVID-19, or to comply with a recommendation or order to quarantine due to exposure or exhibition of symptoms;
To obtain a medical diagnosis or care if the employee is experiencing symptoms;
To care for a family member who is self-isolating due to a diagnosis of coronavirus, experiencing symptoms of coronavirus and needs to obtain medical diagnosis or care, or quarantining due to exposure or exhibition of symptoms; or
To care for a child whose school has closed, or childcare provider is unavailable, due to the coronavirus.
Employers must compensate employees for any time they take off, up to 80 hours for these reasons at their regular rates of pay, capped at $511 per day.
Who is eligible for paid family leave under the federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA)?
To qualify for Paid Family Leave, an employee must be utilizing the leave to care for their child if that child’s school or place of care has been closed, or the childcare provider is unavailable, due to the coronavirus. The employee also must work for an employer with less than 500 employees and have been on the employer’s payroll for at least 30 days.
For these individuals, the FFCRA supplements the 12 weeks of job-protected leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act by requiring that at least 10 of those weeks be paid at a rate of at least 2/3 an employee’s original rate of pay. These benefits are capped at $200 per day and expire at the end of the year.
What if I’m a Part-Time Worker?
California’s Paid Sick Leave law applies to all full-time and part-time employees, as long as they work 30 days within a calendar year.
For the FFCRA, Part-time employees are also covered, and are entitled to the number of hours of paid sick time equal to the number of hours they work, on average, over a 2-week period.
If I am self-employed, and I am sick or caring for a sick family member, can I apply for benefits?
If you are self-employed and unable to work, or have had your hours reduced, you may be eligible for Unemployment Insurance benefits if 1) you chose to contribute to UI Elective Coverage and paid the required contributions; 2) your past employer made contributions on your behalf over the past 5-18 months; or 3) you were misclassified as an independent contractor instead of an employee. Please see the AB 5 section below.
To more information and to apply for UI benefits, please go to:
www.edd.ca.gov/Unemployment/default_espanol.htm (En Espanol)
EMPLOYERS
I am an employer. What can I do to ensure my workers are safe from COVID-19 in the workplace?
The Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) has put out both industry-specific and general guidance on how employers can work to keep their workplaces safe and in compliance with the law.
That guidance is here: www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/coronavirus/Health-Care-General-Industry.html
For additional employer specific resources and information, please refer to the “employer” section of this link: www.edd.ca.gov/about_edd/coronavirus-2019.htm
NOTE: Also, refer to the Small Business Association website for additional resources and information. www.sba.gov/page/coronavirus-covid-19-small-business-guidance-loan-resources
I’m a small business owner and I’m concerned about the costs of providing Paid Sick Leave or Family Leave to my employees.
The FFCRA grants the Secretary of Labor the authority to exempt businesses of less than 50 employees from its requirements (both paid family leave and paid sick leave) if complying would jeopardize the viability of the business. A business who believes they qualify may apply for this exemption with the Department of Labor.
Furthermore, employers with less than 25 employees may have access to an exception to the requirement to restore an employee to the job they held before their Family Leave, if the employee’s job no longer exists due to the coronavirus pandemic. If this occurs, the employer is required to make reasonable efforts to restore the employee to an equivalent position over a one-year period.
For more information and assistance, visit the U.S. Small Business Administration: www.sba.gov/page/coronavirus-covid-19-small-business-guidance-loan-resources.
As a business owner, are there any rebates available to offset my Paid Family and Paid Sick Leave costs?
The FFCRA provides for a series of refundable tax credits for employers providing paid emergency sick leave or paid family leave:
A refundable tax credit for employers equal to 100 percent of qualified family leave wages required to be paid by the Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act that are paid by an employer for each calendar quarter. The tax credit is allowed against the tax imposed by the employer portion of Social Security taxes. The amount of qualified family leave wages taken into account for each employee is capped at $200 per day and $10,000 for all calendar quarters.
A refundable tax credit for employers equal to 100 percent of qualified paid sick leave wages required to be paid by the Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act that are paid by an employer for each calendar quarter. The tax credit is allowed to be used against the tax imposed by the employer portion of Social Security taxes.
I am an employer and because of COVID-19 I must temporarily close my doors and lay off my workers, what can I do?
Employers who must close their business or planning major layoffs due to coronavirus can get help through the Rapid Response program through the Employment Development Department. Rapid Response staff will work with you to discuss your needs as well as assist your workers facing job losses.
For more information, refer to the following fact sheet: www.edd.ca.gov/pdf_pub_ctr/de8714rrb.pdf
For additional employer specific resources and information, please refer to the “employer” section of this link: www.edd.ca.gov/about_edd/coronavirus-2019.htm
NOTE: Also, refer to the Small Business Association website for additional resources and information. www.sba.gov/page/coronavirus-covid-19-small-business-guidance-loan-resources
Has the enactment and enforcement of Assembly Bill 5 been suspended?
While the Governor has suspended some labor laws related to mass layoffs due to the COVID-19 pandemic, AB 5 is not among them. As of today, AB 5 is the law of the land and is still in effect.
For more information, refer to www.dir.ca.gov/dlse/faq_independentcontractor.htm
I have a pending wage/workers’ compensation claim. How does COVID-19 impact my claim?
Both the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE) and the Division of Workers’ Compensation (DWC) have implemented social distancing policies to ensure that claims can be managed and proceed in a safe and orderly manner.
For more information on the DLSE policies:
Hearing Calendars and Filings: www.dir.ca.gov/DIRNews/2020/2020-18.html
Medical Evaluations: www.dir.ca.gov/DIRNews/2020/2020-21.html
MORE RESOURCE links:
STIMULUS CHECKS
* Note: if you are a dependent on your parents taxes, you will not receive a check. Instead they will receive $500 for each dependent child.
Now passed and signed by the President, the IRS, will use 2019 taxpayer forms to determine how much a person's check should be and where it should be sent. If 2019 taxes have yet to be filed (deadline extended until July 15, 2020), the IRS will use information from taxpayers' 2018 forms.
This step is especially important for low-income Americans who don't typically file taxes. In that case, they would still need to file a form. It's not necessary to download special software or use a tax preparer. The IRS has two paths for free filing options, one for those making under $69,000 and another for those making above $69,000. Both can be found on IRS.gov. (https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free)
Relief Funds for Undocumented Workers:
HOW TO APPLY /COMO APLICAR
Application / solicitud / 申請網站: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfs3vK0E-xPqYUG3HomeP_vRtZbCfzE8-J9GmEfunanb0bX76uSmg/viewform
Call (360) 524-3664 to apply on the phone:
¡Llame al (360) 524-3664 para presentar una solicitud por teléfono!
Contra Costa Labor Council website:
California Department of Public Health
Sacramento County Public Health Services
Rental Housing Eviction Prevention Information
Sacramento County Residents:
Sacramento City Residents:
Landlord & City Notification Delay form:
Legal Services of N. California
916) 551-2150
Renters helpline:
(916) 389-7877
What Renters Need to Know:
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has announced a national eviction moratorium (Links to an external site.) for public-housing residents who cannot pay rent due to the coronavirus outbreak. Locally, the Sacramento City Council established an emergency moratorium on evictions, protecting renters who are financially impacted by the coronavirus for any of the following reasons:
▪ Renters who are infected with the new coronavirus or are caring for a household or family member who is sick with the virus that causes COVID-19
▪ Renters who were laid off, lost hours at work, or had income reduced in any way as a result of the coronavirus pandemic
§ Renters complying with the recommendations from government agencies to stay home, self quarantine and avoid congregating
▪ Renters who need to miss work to care for a home-bound school-age child
In order to take advantage of the protections, renters must:
▪ Notify their landlord in writing before the day rent is due that they have a covered reason for a delayed payment
▪ Provide landlords with verifiable documentation to support the covered reason
▪ Pay the portion of the rent the tenant is able to pay
Renters can provide this Tenant Delay of Rent Payment (Links to an external site.) form to landlords as written notification of loss of income.
What Homeowners Need to Know:
Steps are being taken to protect homeowners as well:
▪ For homeowners with a Federal Housing Administration-backed mortgage, HUD announced Wednesday (Links to an external site.) it is suspending all foreclosure and eviction actions for the next 60 days, through mid-May. The moratorium covers FHA mortgages for single-family homes.
▪ The Federal Housing Finance Agency, which oversees Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the 11 Federal Home Loan Banks, has suspended foreclosures and evictions (Links to an external site.) for at least 60 days due to the national emergency. FHFA is also providing payment forbearance to borrowers impacted by the coronavirus, allowing mortgage payments to be suspended for up to 12 months.
▪ Many major banks are offering mortgage relief programs to homeowners as well, including Bank of America, Capital One and Wells Fargo. Borrowers should contact their lenders for more information.
LOW COST INTERNET
Comcast: https://www.internetessentials.com
Comcast will offer 60 days of free internet through their Internet Essentials program for new customers. Existing customers will not have service interruptions or late fees if they cannot pay their bill due to COVID-19 issues. You must contact the company to inform them that you will not be able to pay
All AT&T consumer home internet wireline customers, as well as Fixed Wireless Internet, can use unlimited internet data. Additionally, they will continue to offer internet access for qualifying limited income households at $10 a month through the Access from AT&T program.
Verizon will wave late fees for residential and small business customers impacted by economic circumstances related to the coronavirus. In addition, the company will not terminate service to any residential or small business customers because of their inability to pay their bills due to disruptions caused by the coronavirus.
UTILITES
PG&E
PGE and is suspending power shutoffs for nonpayment during the coronavirus pandemic, and is offering flexible pay plans for customers affected by COVID-19
SMUD will be suspending practice of shutting off power for non-payment.
CSUS REMOTE ACCESS for Students
Long-term Laptop loan via IRT. Professor referral to servicedesk@csus.edu include:
Student's first and last name
Their csus.edu email address
Phone number to contact them
Mental Health Assistance:
La Familia Counseling Center:
3301 37thAve, Sacramento, CA 95824916-210-8773Children’s Mental Health. Contact for information or resources.
NAMI (National Alliance of Mental Illness) Helpline: 1-800-950-6264 https://www.nami.org/find-support/nami-helpline Mental Health Access Team Call 916-875-1055, (888) 881-4881, or 711 M-F 8am-5pm
Sacramento County Mental Health Services:
The Disaster Distress Helpline can provide immediate counseling to anyone who is seeking help in coping with the mental or emotional effects caused by the Coronavirus
Disaster Distress Hotline: 1-800-985-5990
Text "TalkWithUs" to 66746
Department of Human Assistance:
The Sacramento County CalWORKs Wellness Team provides counseling services to help break down barriers to employment for CalWORKs eligible customers. Services include: • Confidential assessment and treatment of mental health and substance abuse needs.• Authorization and referral to intensive alcohol and drug treatment if needed. • Referrals for medication evaluation and support if needed. • Linkage to resources and tools to assist you in your recovery.To access services, call the CalWORKs Wellness Team referral line at (916)875-3309 or request a referral from Department of Human Assistance staff.
916-875-3309
National Domestic Violence Hotline can help victims, survivors of domestic violence:
Call 1-800-799-7233 TTY 1-800-787-3224
Mental Health Urgent Care Clinic:
THE MENTAL HEALTH URGENT CARE CLINIC (MHUCC) is a walk-in clinic for individuals with an urgent mental health need.
Walk Ins: 2130 Stockton Blvd #300 Sacramento, CA 95817
Call 916-520-2460
Visitors: Monday-Friday, 10am-10pm Saturday, Sunday, & Holidays, 10am-6pm
More Food Assistance:
The Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services continues to work with more than 220 partner agencies to distribute food throughout the community. The food bank has set up a Frequently Asked Questions (Links to an external site.) page with links to its distribution sites (Links to an external site.), schedule (Links to an external site.) and other information.
Food bank officials are reporting increased costs and demand. Those who wish to donate (Links to an external site.)or volunteer (Links to an external site.) are encouraged to do so. A $1 donation can provide five meals for a family. Volunteers must be between the ages of 10 and 64 with no underlying health conditions.