How to Help Your Employees

EDD Employment Development Department Unemployment Benefits Information

Department of Industrial Relations COVID-19 Resources and Workers’ Compensation

Refer employees to OnwardCa.org, a one stop resource for Californians impacted by job loss due to COVID-19 pandemic.

See the California Department of Labor website to learn about state paid sick leave, family leave, disability and unemployment.

Advertise Open Positions

CareerPoint Marin, part of the Marin County Health and Human Services agency, publishes a weekly “Job Leads” email. The positions are sent to CareerPoint directly by the employers and by email MarinBizServices@careerpointnorthbay.org.

Health Care

Covered California A special-enrollment period is underway now that allows you to enroll in a health plan.

Under I.R.S. guidance issued May 12, 2020, businesses now have more flexibility to allow workers to make changes to their health plans outside an enrollment period. The change doesn’t require employers to offer these options; they must opt-in if they want to give their employees the added flexibility. This may be applied to health plans retroactively to January 1, 2020.

For example, employers can let their workers drop out of their health insurance if they have another option, or sign up if they failed to earlier in the year. Workers may also add more family members to their plan, or switch from one workplace plan to another. 

Alternatives to Layoffs

There are alternatives to layoffs that can help employers keep their employees when there is a lack of work or during financial hardship.

Do you want to keep your employees and pay them? 

The Paycheck Protection Program is designed to provide a direct incentive for small businesses to keep their workers on payroll by providing each small business a loan up to $10 million for payroll and certain other expenses. If all employees are kept on payroll for eight weeks, the Small Business Administration will forgive the portion of the loans used for payroll, rent, mortgage interest, or utilities. Up to 100 percent of the loan is forgivable. 

Do you want to keep your trained employees but still allow them to receive unemployment benefits?

The state’s Work Sharing Unemployment Insurance program allows for the payment of benefits to individuals whose wages and hours have been reduced. For more information, visit Work Sharing.

Have you had to temporarily lay off employees or reduce their hours but expect to rehire them? 

Partial claims are for employees whose employers want to keep them when there is a lack of work. Filing a Partial Claim allows employees to receive unemployment benefits without being required to look for a new job. For more information, visit Partial Claims.

Want to learn more about telecommuting?

Telecommuting can help your business continue operations while employees shelter in place. For more information, visit Resources for Managing Teleworkers.