Jobless claims’ backlog stuck over 1 million
The backlog of claims for unemployment benefits filed by California workers has been stuck over 1 million for more than a month, according to the Employment Development Department.
As of March 16, the EDD’S dashboard was the official measure of department lags in paying unemployed workers.
On March 10, according to the most recent update, 1.06 million claims have taken more than 21 days for the EDD to process. That includes 933,100 initial unemployment claims and 122,700 continuing claims.
An initial claim is deemed to be part of the backlog if it has taken more than 21 days to issue the first payment or to disqualify the claim. A continuing claim is placed in the backlog if the worker has received at least one payment and is now waiting more than 21 days for more payments or disqualification from the program.
The EDD began tracking the claims’ backlog in a dashboard format starting Sept. 30, and for six weeks all seemed well. On Jan. 6, the backlog had dropped to 516,000 claims. Then matters deteriorated, and the agency reported a surge in the claims bottleneck, which soared past 1 million on Feb. 3.
— George Avalos, staff writer
Gas prices hit 67-week high
The cost of an average gallon of gasoline in California rose to $3.73 in the past week, the highest its been in 67 weeks.
The price of a gallon of regular gas as of March 15 was up 9 cents in a week and up $1.09 or 41% since the pandemic era low of $2.64 last May, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The last time prices were higher was Nov. 25, 2019.
Pump prices statewide have increased for 13 consecutive weeks as crude oil soars in price. West Texas Intermediate, a U.S. benchmark for crude oil, is up 35% this year to $66 per barrel as of last week.
Last spring, gas prices fell 21% as pandemic “stay at home” restrictions cut travel and fuel demand. Since then, a reopening economy and production cuts worldwide have boosted gasoline prices.
Nationally, regular gas averaged $2.85 a gallon last week — up 8 cents in a week and up 83 cents or 59% since last spring’s $1.77 low. — Jonathan Lansner, SCNG
Relief offered to landlords, tenants
Federal relief is on the way for struggling landlords and tenants.
A complex hybrid of state and local programs designed to distribute $2.6 billion in federal aid to ailing California landlords and low-income renters began accepting applications March 15.
Assemblymember David Chiu, D-san Francisco, said state and local officials will have to be especially vigilant in providing clear information about their programs to ensure reaching the neediest.
“We’re excited this day has come,” Chiu said. “We’re hopeful that the monies will go out quickly and efficiently.” Chiu is the chairman of the housing and community development committee and author of the state’s eviction moratorium.
The federal funds come from a relief package passed by Congress in December and are restricted to poor and moderateincome renters. The $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan package signed by President Joe Biden March 11 is expected to bring an additional $2.2 billion in rental assistance to California in the coming months.
The state gave large cities and counties three options to distribute the aid: use a state program, have a hybrid of state and local distribution sources, or go it alone. — Louis Hansen, staff writer