CWR continues to hear from workers that are fighting to maintain unemployment benefits paid to them during the pandemic unemployment benefits programs, which expired more than two years ago.
Most recently, CWR supported a leasing consultant in her second hearing before the California Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board (CUIAB) related to her 2021 claim for unemployment benefits. She received benefits without issue until the extended benefits program ended in September 2021, but has since faced scrutiny regarding her eligibility for benefits.
In 2023, EDD called the claimant to reassess her eligibility for benefits and ultimately found that she never qualified for the benefits paid to her because she had quit her job without good cause. EDD made this determination well after the deadline for making redeterminations, yet issued the claimant a notice stating that she was no longer eligible and she would have to repay the benefits.
The Center for Workers’ Rights represented the worker at her CUIAB hearing this December, during which we successfully argued that EDD violated the law in issuing the redetermination notice. The worker is no longer required to pay back her benefits.
While the outcome of this case was successful, CWR continues to advocate for claimants who are facing unlawful redeterminations. These reversals of benefits and their potential to result in the repayment of benefits can cause great anxiety and frustration from claimants who are forced to revisit their loss of work years later. If you have any questions about your EDD benefit claims please call our hotline at 916-905-5857, Monday through Friday 9:00am – 5:30pm.