Existing law provides that an individual is considered “unemployed” for the purpose of eligibility for unemployment compensation benefits if, for any week of less than full-time work, the wages payable to the individual for that week, when reduced by $25 or 25% of the wages payable, whichever is greater, do not equal or exceed the individual’s unemployment weekly benefit amount. Existing law provides for the calculation of unemployment benefits.

This bill would provide that an individual who has been laid off from his or her most recent work, or is unable to commence work at his or her regular or seasonal workplace, as a direct result of the freezing weather conditions in January 2007, as specified, shall be considered “unemployed” for the purpose of eligibility for unemployment compensation benefits if the individual worked or was scheduled to commence work in a county specifically designated by the Governor as being in a state of emergency, as provided, and for any week of less than full-time work, the wages payable to the individual for that week, when reduced by $200, do not equal or exceed the individual’s unemployment weekly benefit amount. This bill would require the payment of unemployment compensation to an individual under these circumstances in a weekly amount equal to his or her weekly benefit amount less the amount of wages in excess of $200 payable for that week, with benefits subject to the regular one-week waiting period.

This bill would provide for repeal of these provisions on November 4, 2007.

Existing law provides that unemployment compensation benefits are paid from the Unemployment Fund, a continuously appropriated special fund. By expanding benefits payable from the fund, this bill would make an appropriation.

This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.