As federal pandemic unemployment benefits end for millions, what does that mean for Californians?
The extra pandemic unemployment benefits helped millions who had no income for months. But all of that ended, even as EDD still hasn't paid a number of people who are entitled to benefits.
"I haven't received one single payment," said Syonna Varguez, who lost her job when the pandemic started. She was able to find work at a cannabis dispensary but was laid off in May.
"I've been looking for work I've been applying places but I'm all out of my savings," she said.
Varguez says she's been dealing with EDD but so far hasn't received any unemployment benefits.
"They told me I have to wait five months -- there's a five-month waiting period," she added.
Federal benefits such as pandemic unemployment assistance and more ended on Friday. That means the federal government stopped paying a $300 per week bonus for everyone on unemployment.
"We've had the benefits extended now two or three different times, but this time it looks like they actually going to end," said Michael Bernick, an expert on employment and labor law and also a former director of EDD.
The change will affect about two million Californians but as people try to get back into the workforce, Bernick says there are still some concerns.
"There's the ongoing concerns about health, there is the fact that the schools have been closed so long and they're just gradually reopening, there are child care concerns."
Varguez says she wants a job but she is still entitled to retroactive EDD benefits to pay her bills.
"We can barely afford groceries at this point. It's been really hard," she said.
Financial experts say as the benefits run out, people need to plan because getting a new job might not be so easy.
"What I would tell people to do is start planning now, put a financial game plan together now. Looking at your finances, while you're going to have some of these benefits that end, where can I make some cuts short-term and look for a job that's going to meet your needs," said financial planner Brian Gilder.
The federal pandemic benefits ended but California will still be paying regular unemployment benefits, though it will be lower than what people got used to over the past year and a half.
