March 19, 2020
by Deborah Pembrook, Human Trafficking Outreach Manager
With Monterey County under a stay-in-place order, so many survivors and other community members are asking if we are safe and secure. We want to help by providing clear and accurate help and connections to resources - including financial help that is available right now to anyone facing loss of work hours or jobs due to COVID-19.
Whether your hours are cut or you have lost your job due to an illness, an illness of a family member or due to the economic factors, help may be available. Because finding the right resource can be confusing, the Department of Labor has issued a helpful chart to list each of these options.
If you're unable to work due to medical quarantine or illness related to COVID-19 or other illness and this has been certified by a medical professional, you may be eligible for Disability Insurance. This is a short-term benefit to eligible workers who have a full or partial loss of wages due to a non-work-related illness, injury, or pregnancy. You can learn more about this benefit here or apply for Disability Insurance here.
If you're unable to work because of a sick or quarantined family member with COVID-19 or other illness and this has been certified by a medical professional, you may be eligible for Paid Family Leave. This provides up to six weeks of benefit payments to eligible workers who have a full or partial loss of wages because they need time off work to care for a seriously ill family member. You can learn more about this benefit here or apply for Paid Family Leave here.
Both of the benefits we have covered so far are available to both documented and undocumented workers. The next benefit, Unemployment Insurance, is only available to documented workers.
If you have lost your job or have had your hours reduced for reasons related to COVID-19, you may be eligible for Unemployment Insurance. This provides partial wage replacement benefit to workers who lose their job or have their hours reduced, through no fault of their own. You can learn more about this benefit here or apply for Unemployment Insurance here.
If you need more help navigating these options, a helpline has been set up for workers or those facing unemployment, 866-870-7725. This Worker Help Line in available in English Spanish and Tagalog, Vietnamese and Mandarin.
We are here to help. Our crisis line remains open and we are here for you.
