Editor’s note: The articles below cite the 20+ publications the California Policy Lab released during the COVID-19 pandemic. To see those publications and other research projects focused on unemployment insurance, visit this page: Unemployment Insurance research by the California Policy Lab.
2022 research citations
KPCC Air Talk: Was The ‘Great Resignation’ Really Just A Great Job Upgrade? (April 19, 2022)
Sacramento Bee: Is it a ‘She-cession’? COVID’s economic crisis is hurting California women more than men (April 12, 2022)
Capital Public Radio: Segment on February recipiency report (Feb 20, 2022)
NBC Bay Area: “Pivoting During the Pandemic After Being Laid Off” (Feb 5, 2022)
2021 research citations
Washington Post: The most unusual job market in modern American history, explained (Dec 29, 2021)
Washington Post: Life after quitting: What happened next to the workers who left their jobs (Dec 16, 2021)
Sacramento Bee: Unemployment benefits are cut off — but thousands of Californians could see extra payments (Sept 13, 2021)
NBC News: Pandemic unemployment benefits just expired. What will families do now? (Sept 7, 2021)
Sacramento Bee: As unemployment benefits end, Californians find themselves dipping into savings, retirement (Sept 4, 2021)
LAist: Why Millions Of Californians Are About To Lose Their Unemployment Benefits (Sept 1, 2021)
CNBC: Millions of Americans will lose unemployment benefits this weekend (August 31, 2021)
Sacramento Bee: Thousands of Californians will soon lose unemployment benefits as federal programs end (August 6, 2021)
Capitol Public Radio: Segment on June 30th Report (June 30th, 2021)
UCLA Blueprint: Covid’s Losses: Lives, Jobs, Hope (June 1, 2021)
Sacramento Bee: Gavin Newsom wants to give millions to state’s struggling unemployment agency. Will it help? (May 19, 2021)
San Jose Mercury News: California unemployment claims rise again, but stay under 100,000 (April 29, 2021)
Santa Barbara News Press: When extended unemployment benefits turn off (April 25, 2021)
New York Times: New state unemployment claims fell last week to a new pandemic low (April 22, 2021)
Barrons: Glitches in the Unemployment Insurance System Threaten Recovery. Here’s a Fix (April 22, 2021)
The Balance: Unemployment Glitch Leaves 300,000 Without Safety Net (April 21, 2021)
Fox Business News: Unemployment benefits ended prematurely for 300,000 workers during pandemic, study says (April 20, 2021)
CNBC: Unemployment benefits cut short for more than 300,000 during pandemic, study says (April 20, 2021)
Business Insider: Why at least 300,000 people in 33 states are losing unemployment benefits earlier than expected (April 20, 2021)
Bloomberg: Jobless Aid to 300,000 Cut Off Prematurely in Some U.S. States (April 22, 2021)
KQED: On Common Ground: Economic Recovery in California (April 19, 2021)
Santa Clarita Signal: Unemployment rates continue steady decline (March 27, 2021)
Associated Press: California’s unemployment rate edges down as state added 141,000 jobs in February (March 26, 2021)
Associated Press: US jobless claims fall to 684,000, fewest since pandemic (March 25, 2021)
Enterprise Record: National unemployment disparity in late 2020 reflects California trends (March 23, 2021)
Orange County Register: Coronavirus pandemic exposes stark differences in Orange County (March 21, 2021)
New York Times: Why Are Jobless Claims Still High? For Some, It’s the Multiple Layoffs. (March 18, 2021)
Capitol Public Radio: Interview with Till von Wachter about March 18th report and long-term unemployment (March 18, 2021)
Sacramento Bee: Eligible Latino workers are less likely to access unemployment benefits. Here’s why (March 5, 2021)
KQED: Hard Hit Communities Struggling When it Comes to Unemployment Benefits (March 2, 2021)
Associated Press: Despite mass job losses, California revenues soar by billions as rich get richer during pandemic (Feb 28, 2021)
KPCC: ‘EDD Is Failing California.’ Residents Fight Financial Distress As Unemployment Agency Troubles Continue (Feb 19, 2021)
CNBC: Bulk of jobless claims are due to repeat pandemic layoffs, say researchers (Feb 16, 2021)
YR Media: Pandemic Took Young People’s Jobs, and Maybe their Lifespans Too (Feb 16, 2021)
The Sun: A closer look at President Biden’s stimulus package and its impact on California (Feb 9, 2021)
CNBC: They went bust in the Great Recession. Now, in their 80s, the pandemic took their jobs (Feb 6, 2021)
San Francisco Chronicle: New California EDD snag could leave some without benefits for 2.5 months (Feb 5, 2021)
Bloomberg Opinion: The U.S. Unemployment System Is Broken But Fixable (Jan. 25, 2021)
Sacramento Bee: In MLK rally, Sacramento’s Poor People’s Campaign calls for change after Capitol violence (Jan 16, 2021)
2020 Research citations
San Jose Mercury News: ‘Desperate’ Bay Area residents brace for federal unemployment dollars to expire (Dec 26, 2020)
Sacramento Bee: ‘We’d love to see $2,000.’ Gavin Newsom endorses larger COVID-19 relief checks (Dec 23, 2020)
CapRadio: Amid Holiday Rush, Small Business Owners And Workers Worry About Their Futures (Dec 22, 2020)
Sacramento Bee: More stimulus money is on its way. Here are the answers to your questions (Dec 22, 2020)
ABC 10: Interview with Professor Till von Wachter: Congress passes 2nd COVID-19 relief bill: Benefits, $600 stimulus check explained (Dec 21, 2020)
San Francisco Chronicle: How the new federal stimulus bill will help unemployed Californians (Dec 21, 2020)
KXTV ABC 10: Segment on Data Point focused on PUA and PEUC Programs expiring (Dec 20, 2020)
Sacramento Bee: It’s a deal. Californians could see more unemployment payments, stimulus checks soon (Dec 20, 2020)
KPCC/LAist: With Congress Down To The Wire, More Than A Million Californians Are At Risk Of Losing Unemployment Benefits (Dec 18, 2020)
Barrons: 1.1 Million Californians Projected to Lose Jobless Benefits By End of Year (Dec 16th)
The Signal (Santa Clarita Valley): Garcia briefs on possible second round of stimulus checks (Dec 16, 2020)
UC Berkeley News: California fears human, economic crisis as Washington relief talks continue (Dec 16, 2020)
KESQ News Channel 3: Nearly 1M Californians could lose benefits day after Christmas if Congress doesn’t pass COVID-19 stimulus bill (Dec 15, 2020)
ABC 7: 1M Californians will lose benefits day after Christmas if Congress doesn’t pass COVID-19 relief bill (Dec 11, 2020)
CNBC: 1.4 million American workers apply for unemployment benefits, as relief bill negotiations drag on (Dec 10, 2020)
Barron’s Live: Interview with Till von Wachter: The State of the Job Market and the Unemployment System (Dec 9, 2020)
KCRW: Segment about November 19th Policy Brief (Dec 1, 2020)
Sacramento Bee: 750,000 Californians are about to lose jobless benefits. What is Congress doing? (Dec 1, 2020)
Project Syndicate: The US Economy Needs a Booster Shot (Nov 30, 2020)
CalMatters: As pandemic aid ends, California families face brutal new year (Nov 25, 2020)
ABC 10 (Sacramento): Unemployment benefits programs: Who’s eligible, when payments end (Nov 24, 2020)
CNBC: Yes, you can get unemployment benefits if you’re laid off again. Here’s what you need to know (Nov 23, 2020)
Patch: LA Food Banks Gather Long Lines Ahead Of Thanksgiving (Nov 21, 2020)
USA Today: ‘It’s a big, scary mess’: 12 million Americans to lose jobless aid after Christmas if Congress fails to act (Nov 20, 2020)
ABC 10 Sacramento: ‘What the hell is happening in Washington?’ Turlock Congressman pushes for unemployment benefits extension (Nov 20, 2020)
Los Angeles Times: California employers bring back workers, but recovery worries linger (Nov 20, 2020)
CBS Los Angeles: Hundreds Of Thousands Of Residents Stand To Lose Unemployment Benefits By The End Of Next Month (Nov 20, 2020)
ABC 10 Sacramento: Segment on Nov. 19th Policy Brief (Nov 20, 2020)
AP: New virus rules threaten California’s October job gains (Nov 20, 2020)
Barrons: The Virus Is Surging. Growth Is Slowing. And Millions Are About to Lose Jobless Benefits. (Nov 20, 2020)
KPBS: Segment on Nov 19th UI Report (Nov 19, 2020)
CNN: Another 742,000 Americans filed for unemployment claims last week, the first increase in a month (Nov 19, 2020)
CapRadio: A large portion of Californians will soon lose unemployment benefits (Nov 19, 2020)
KPCC and LAist: Interview with Till von Wachter and article: Three-Quarters Of A Million Californians Are At Risk Of Losing Unemployment Benefits Next Month (Nov 19, 2020)
Sacramento Bee: Here’s how hard the coronavirus pandemic hit Black workers in California (Nov 19, 2020)
KQED: Segment on Nov 19th UI Report (Nov 19, 2020)
CNBC: 2 million Americans set to lose unemployment benefits by year’s end (Nov 19, 2020)
New York Times: A cutoff of federal unemployment benefits looms for 12 million workers (Nov 19, 2020)
San Francisco Chronicle: At least 750,000 Californians could lose unemployment benefits by end of 2020 (Nov 19, 2020)
NBC News: Latest jobs report shows long-term unemployment still on the rise, worrying economists (Nov 6, 2020)
CalMatters: California offered a lifeline when their hours were cut — then payments froze (November 3, 2020)
CNBC: This comic was $2 short of getting Trump’s $300 weekly unemployment benefit. Now, he’s on the edge of financial ruin (October 20, 2020)
Associated Press: US layoffs still high, but so is skepticism on jobless data (October 8, 2020)
The Guardian: ‘I’m drowning’: Californians of color most affected by growing backlog of jobless aid (Sept 28, 2020)
San Jose Mercury News: “Lower-pay, higher-risk”: Coronavirus layoffs send middle-class workers down the economic ladder (Sept. 27, 2020)
Vox: We can end America’s unemployment nightmare (September 23, 2020)
Barron’s: There Might Be Roughly 10 Million Fewer Jobless Americans Than It Seems. Here’s Why. (September 23, 2020)
Sacramento Bee: Extra $300 unemployment money is gone. How will people survive without it? (September 21, 2020)
CalMatters: High housing costs keep Californians poor (September 20, 2020)
Los Angeles Times: California job growth is sluggish — and experts say it may get worse (September 18, 2020)
CNN: Another 860,000 Americans filed for unemployment benefits last week (September 17, 2020)
Forbes: Allegations Of Fraud In The Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program: Why The System Is Flawed (September 17, 2020)
New York Times: Why Unemployment Claims May Be Overcounted by Millions (September 16, 2020)
Sacramento Bee: Surging California unemployment claims suggest widespread fraud, state says (September 16, 2020)
Silicon Valley Business Journal: Jobs report points to a mixed recovery for the state economy (September 16, 2020)
San Jose Mercury News: Coronavirus: California jobless claims are “startlingly high,” researchers say (September 15, 2020)
LAist: New Round Of Unemployment Benefits Excludes Many Young CA Workers (September 10, 2020)
Wisconsin Public Radio: Who Is Left Out Of Trump’s $300 Unemployment Insurance Boost? (September 10, 2020)
Los Angeles Times: California begins sending extra $900 to those unemployed due to COVID-19 (September 7, 2020)
The Wrap: $300 Weekly Unemployment Benefits to Begin in California on Sept 7 (September 5, 2020)
Associated Press: A new $300 federal jobless benefit? Not likely for some (September 3, 2020)
Capital Public Radio: Nearly 200,000 Unemployed Californians Won’t Get $300 Enhanced Benefit, Study Shows (September 3, 2020)
ABC 10 Sacramento: Thousands of people won’t get the $300 unemployment boost in California, here’s why (September 3, 2020)
Sacramento Bee: Why thousands of unemployed California workers are unlikely to get extra $300 benefit (September 1, 2020)
San Francisco Chronicle: Another 1.1 million Americans file for unemployment as rate remains above 10% (August 20, 2020)
Los Feliz Ledger: Ryu Authors Motion for Rental & Utility Forgiveness (August 18, 2020)
Washington Examiner:Temporary layoffs becoming permanent job losses (August 14, 2020)
Cheddar: Unemployed Again: 2nd Wave of Coronavirus-Driven Layoffs Underway, Say Economists (August 10, 2020)
NBC News U.S. economy gains 1.8 million jobs as recovery loses momentum (August 7, 2020)
Spectrum News: Interview of Till von Wachter (August 7, 2020)
Sacramento Bee: Trump signs executive order to boost unemployment checks. Can he do that? (August 7, 2020)
LAist/KPCC: Many Californians Who Went Back To Work Are Getting Laid Off — Again (August 7, 2020)
KCRW: Gridlock in Washington over extending PPP: What it means for California workers (August 7, 2020)
Newsweek: Nearly 1 in 3 California Workers Have Filed for Unemployment Since Pandemic Began (August 6, 2020)
San Jose Mercury News: Coronavirus: California unemployment claims fall for second straight week (August 6, 2020)
KPIX/CBS Bay Area: California’s High Unemployment Rate Signals More COVID-19-Related Hardships (August 6, 2020)
San Jose Mercury News: Fewer unemployed California workers expect to regain old jobs (August 6, 2020)
CNBC: In California, 57% seeking unemployment benefits lost their jobs for a second time (August 6, 2020)
The Week: What California’s unemployment numbers tell us about the COVID depression (August 6, 2020)
San Francisco Chronicle: Many of California’s recent unemployment claims are people refiling after temporary jobs, study finds (August 6, 2020)
CNBC: The $600 unemployment boost has ended. What’s next? (July 31, 2020)
San Francisco Chronicle: California jobless claims reach 9 million since mid-March amid record-shattering economic plunge (July 30, 2020)
Capital Public Radio: Low-Wage Workers Nervous As $600-A-Week Unemployment Stimulus Expires (July 30, 2020)
CNBC: GOP unemployment plan hurts these groups the most (July 29, 2020)
LAist: Could California Step Up To Replace Expiring Federal Unemployment Benefits? (July 29, 2020)
Los Angeles Times: California could create its own $600 weekly unemployment benefit (July 28, 2020)
Sacramento Bee: California’s recession could get worse if Congress cuts unemployment aid, studies say (July 28, 2020)
Lake County News: New analysis looks at how increased unemployment benefit helped state’s workers (July 28, 2020)
Sacramento Bee: From $600 a week to $200: How Republicans want to cut coronavirus unemployment benefits (July 27, 2020)
Sacramento Bee: Extra $600 unemployment payments are ending — will they ever return? Here’s what we know (July 24, 2020)
LAist: Hundreds Of Thousands Are Behind On Rent. Why Won’t Politicians Cancel It? (July 24, 2020)
CBS 8 (San Diego): What’s next for Californians with extra $600 in unemployment set to expire on Sunday? (July 23, 2020)
Sacramento Bee: $600 benefit for unemployed workers would be reduced but not ended under new Trump plan (July 23, 2020)
ABC 7: Interview about the Expiring FPUC Benefit (July 20, 2020)
Sacramento Bee: Unemployed workers’ extra $600 benefit is about to expire — but Democrats have new plans (July 20, 2020)
CalMatters: Chaos in unemployment insurance (July 9, 2020)
Sacramento Bee: Still on hold: California’s unemployment call center is broken. When will it get fixed? (July 2, 2020)
KQED: Over Half of Hospitality Workers Lose Their Jobs in San Francisco Area (June 25, 2020)
Fresno Bee: How a pandemic exposed racial inequality, food insecurity in California’s Central Valley (June 18, 2020)
Sacramento Bee: California’s economic recovery is among the slowest in the nation. Here’s why (June 18, 2020)
San Francisco Public Press: Construction Ramps Up in S.F. — for Now (June 16, 2020)
HuffPost: Trump Administration Says It’s Not Forcing People Back To Work. Workers Disagree (June 13, 2020)
La Voz News: With no support students cannot continue to pay the same price for tuition (June 12, 2020)
KPCC: A Growing Number Of Laid-Off Californians Are Getting Back To Work (June 11, 2020)
Sacramento Bee: Jobs in California are coming back after coronavirus lockdown. But not for everyone (June 11, 2020)
San Jose Mercury News: Coronavirus: California unemployment claims rise for second straight week (June 11, 2020)
USA Today California Newsletter: Unemployment claims are down, but is that a good thing? (June 11, 2020)
Sacramento Bee: Pandemic unemployment benefit is set to expire. Will a back-to-work bonus replace it? (June 9, 2020)
Los Angeles Times: There’s a black jobs crisis. Coronavirus is making it worse (June 5, 2020)
Business Insider: Coronavirus layoffs have not been equal. Here are the workers that have been hit hardest by pandemic job losses (May 30, 2020)
PBS NewsHour: 3 charts reveal how the COVID-19 unemployment crisis isn’t over (May 29, 2020)
Sacramento Bee: How fast will Sacramento bounce back from mass layoffs? There’s pessimism, and a glimmer of hope (May 24, 2020)
Capital Public Radio: ‘Like Nothing Before Seen’: California Lost Record 2.3 Million Jobs In April As Unemployment Rate Spiked To 15.5% (May 22, 2020)
Sacramento Bee: These groups have been hit especially hard by California’s unemployment surge (May 26, 2020)
CNBC: How Unemployment Insurance Abroad Compares To The U.S. (May 22, 2020)
Sacramento Bee: Will laid-off California workers get their old jobs back? Most think they will (May 21, 2020)
KNX AM Radio: Interview with Till von Wachter (May 7, 2020)
Barrons: Laid-Off Workers Show Confidence They’ll Be Rehired (May 8, 2020)
Washington Post: 3.8 million Americans sought jobless benefits last week, extending pandemic’s grip on the national workforce (April 30, 2020)
538: Nearly 20 Percent Of The U.S. Labor Force Has Filed For Unemployment Since Mid-March (April 30, 2020)
San Jose Mercury News: Coronavirus unemployment: California jobless claim filings slow (April 30, 2020)
KPCC/LAist: Study Estimates 1 In 5 Californians Have Applied For Unemployment (April 30, 2020)
CalMatters: Which Californians are filing for unemployment insurance? (May 1, 2020)
Sacramento News and Review: After the COVID-19 pandemic, will the economy be better for workers? (April 29, 2020)