Workers who have become unemployed receive support

On Monday morning Cristina Navarro arrived at the Hospitality Training Academy (HTA) in downtown Los Angeles, to apply for unemployment since this week she will not have a job at the Beverly Hilton hotel in Beverly Hills.

“They rested us for now. I usually work five days (a week) and Sunday was my last day. This week all my hours are blank ”, said Navarro who has worked 15 years as a maid.

The employee said that the hotel, which has 589 rooms, usually has a staff of more than 80 housekeepers, but after the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, reservations have decreased severely, and therefore workers as well. Navarro said that currently there are only about nine service workers attending.

“It is very frustrating for those of us who live from check to check. For example, I have to send money to El Salvador for my mother, ”said the 56-year-old worker.

The drastic downsizing changes are due in part to the announcement made Sunday night by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, who called for all bars, gyms, breweries, clubs to be closed at least until March 31. and places where 50 or more people congregate. Restaurants can remain open, but only to buy takeaways.

To deal with this situation, since Friday a coalition that included the HTA and the UNITE Here Local 11 union joined together to support their members to apply for benefits for being unemployed.

Navarro, who is a member of the union, said she was relieved to be able to count on the help of the workers and volunteers, who, following the correct precautionary measures, are advising hundreds of workers.

Aid began since Friday when more than 400 UNITE Here Local 11 members were assisted and will continue this week. The HTA is responsible for offering training.

Union members, which includes hospitality and food service workers, number more than 32,000 in Southern California and Arizona.

A group of more than 15 representatives from the unemployment department, 20 from the HTA and dozens of volunteers are guiding workers who have been laid off, rested or whose working hours have been considerably reduced by the coronavirus.

Jaime Cedano, an HTA spokesman, said that people are nervous but hopeful that there will be a positive change.

"Here we are helping them (to apply for unemployment) so that they have one less worry," Cedano said. "A lot of people come here because they don't have internet at home or are afraid to fill out the application on their own."

Cedano also said that workers can take advantage of available trainings offered by the HTA to develop the additional skills necessary to move up the career ladder and earn higher job classifications and wages when they return to work.

Who can apply for unemployment?

Barry C. White, spokesperson for the Employment Development Department (EDD), said that people can apply for Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits in these times of the coronavirus if they are unemployed for reasons such as reduced hours due to quarantine, if they were isolated by their employer and / or if they are subject to a quarantine required by a medical professional or state or local health officer.

"They may be eligible for benefits if they have sufficient income for the past 12-18 months and meet other eligibility criteria," said White.

This criterion includes being physically fit and willing to return to work immediately and that the worker is unemployed through no fault of his or her resignation.

White indicated that eligible people can receive benefits ranging from $ 40 to $ 450 per week. Depending on the maximum award for your UI claim and the amounts of your weekly benefits paid. On the other hand, the number of weeks that they can potentially receive benefit payments varies from 13 to 26 weeks if they are paid the full amount of weekly benefits for each of those periods.

People who are not part of the UNITE Here Local 11 union and want to know if they qualify for unemployment can call 1-866-333-4606 Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 12 noon

You can also get more information in Spanish at: https://edd.ca.gov/Unemployment/eligibility_espanol.htm