SB 799 - An act to amend Section 1262 of the Unemployment Insurance Code, relating to unemployment compensation, and making an appropriation therefor.

Portantino. Unemployment insurance: trade disputes: eligibility for benefits.

Existing law provides for the payment of unemployment compensation benefits and extended benefits to eligible individuals who meet specified requirements.

Under existing law, unemployment benefits are paid from the Unemployment Fund, which is continuously appropriated for these purposes.

Existing law makes an employee ineligible for benefits if the employee left work because of a trade dispute and specifies that the employee remains ineligible for the duration of the trade dispute. Existing case law holds that employees who left work due to a lockout by the employer, even if it was in anticipation of a trade dispute, are eligible for benefits.

This bill would restore eligibility after the first 2 weeks for an employee who left work because of a trade dispute. The bill would codify specified case law that holds that employees who left work due to a lockout by the employer, even if it was in anticipation of a trade dispute, are eligible for benefits. The bill would specify that the bill’s provisions do not diminish eligibility for benefits of individuals deprived of work due to an employer lockout or similar action, as specified.

Because this bill would expand the categories of people eligible to receive benefits from a continuously appropriated fund, it would make an appropriation.