This report, by Aaron Gordon for Motherboard, looks like a hypothetical dreamed up by a particularly cruel constitutional law professor:

For the last five years, driverless car companies have been testing their vehicles on public roads. These vehicles constantly roam neighborhoods while loading with a variety of sensors including video cameras capturing everything going on around them in order to operate safely and analyze instances where they don’t.

While the companies themselves, such as Alphabet’s Waymo and General Motors’ Cruise, tout the potential transportation benefits their services may offer one day, they don’t publicize another use case, one that is far less hypothetical: Mobile surveillance cameras for police departments.

It’s not quite as cut and dried as that last sentence. As far as we know, police departments do not have unfettered, real-time access to the recordings created constantly by autonomous vehicles. But they do have access to the recordings. That much is clear from the public records obtained by Motherboard.

The San Francisco PD has been using this footage to aid in investigations, apparently frequently. The training document says two things, neither of which address the particularly thorny constitutional questions they raise:

Autonomous vehicles are recording their surroundings continuously and have the potential to help with investigative leads.

There’s nothing untrue about this assertion and yet it says nothing about the processes used to obtain these recordings. That might have been a hypothetical if not for the following bullet point:

Information will be sent in how to access this potential evidence (Investigations has already done this several times)

yikes

That is problematic, as an EFF rep points out:

“This is very concerning,” Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) senior staff attorney Adam Schwartz told Motherboard. He said cars in general are troves of personal consumer data, but autonomous vehicles will have even more of that data from capturing the details of the world around them. “So when we see any police department identify AVs as a new source of evidence, that’s very concerning.”

So many questions.

An AV will not have a human driver, which lowers the expectation of privacy. That expectation reverts to the company deploying it, which makes it somewhat comparable to a third-party record: data obtained by an automatic process that belongs to the company deploying the data-gathering device (in this case, a car).

Since there’s no driver to challenge searches, the responsibility lies with the company deploying the vehicle. And, since the recordings presumably cover public areas where the privacy expectation is further lowered, it might be possible to obtain recordings with nothing more than a subpoena (or a friendly sounding email!)

That’s where things get even thornier, in terms of the Fourth Amendment. The document does not describe the process the SFPD investigations team uses to obtain recordings.

First of all, how does the SFPD even know if AV recordings might be useful in ongoing investigations? Presumably, AV operators are required to inform local government agencies of their plans so that they can be overseen and undertaken safely. If cops know the routes traveled, it makes sense they would pursue footage recorded at or around areas where suspected crimes were committed.

But who governs this access? Has the city enacted any limits? Or is it just assumed that anything traffic regulators have access to should be accessible to law enforcement?

Moving on from there, how does the PD approach these companies? Private searches (which may be how these recordings are viewed by courts) are legally provided law enforcement does nothing to encourage searches companies (or their employees) may not otherwise engage in. Can cops request AV companies run routes through “high crime” areas in hopes of collecting footage of crimes in progress? All judicial signs point to “no,” but that doesn’t mean it’s not happening.

AV testing is AV testing. It really doesn’t matter much where it’s happening, so some companies may engage in test runs in neighborhoods investigators think might provide more evidence or intel. If this is happening, that’s a real problem.

Unfortunately, we only know what the SFPD has released so far: a training document that says AV cars capture footage and that investigators have utilized that footage in the past. Future public records requests may shed more light on the matter, but for now, this is all we have. At some point, evidence gathered by autonomous vehicles may be challenged in court. If and when that happens, we may get even more answers. But it seems like this isn’t a problem capable of being quantified with this minimum amount of information. That doesn’t mean it should be ignored. It just means more data is needed to draw any solid conclusions.

San Francisco Cops Are Accessing Autonomous Vehicle Recordings To Collect Evidence

More Law-Related Stories From Techdirt:

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Supreme Court Makes The Right Call: Puts Texas Social Media Law Back On Hold
Utah Cops Used ‘Reverse Warrants’ To Track Down A Bunch Of Petty Criminals

The post San Francisco Cops Are Accessing Autonomous Automobile Recordings To Gather Proof appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

from the another-source-of-always-on-surveillance dept

This report, by Aaron Gordon for Motherboard, looks like a hypothetical dreamed up by a particularly cruel constitutional law professor:

For the last five years, driverless car companies have been testing their vehicles on public roads. These vehicles constantly roam neighborhoods while loading with a variety of sensors including video cameras capturing everything going on around them in order to operate safely and analyze instances where they don’t.

While the companies themselves, such as Alphabet’s Waymo and General Motors’ Cruise, tout the potential transportation benefits their services may offer one day, they don’t publicize another use case, one that is far less hypothetical: Mobile surveillance cameras for police departments.

It’s not quite as cut and dried as that last sentence. As far as we know, police departments do not have unfettered, real-time access to the recordings created constantly by autonomous vehicles. But they do have access to the recordings. That much is clear from the public records obtained by Motherboard.

The San Francisco PD has been using this footage to aid in investigations, apparently frequently. The training document says two things, neither of which address the particularly thorny constitutional questions they raise:

Autonomous vehicles are recording their surroundings continuously and have the potential to help with investigative leads.

There’s nothing untrue about this assertion and yet it says nothing about the processes used to obtain these recordings. That might have been a hypothetical if not for the following bullet point:

Information will be sent in how to access this potential evidence (Investigations has already done this several times)

yikes

That is problematic, as an EFF rep points out:

“This is very concerning,” Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) senior staff attorney Adam Schwartz told Motherboard. He said cars in general are troves of personal consumer data, but autonomous vehicles will have even more of that data from capturing the details of the world around them. “So when we see any police department identify AVs as a new source of evidence, that’s very concerning.”

So many questions.

An AV will not have a human driver, which lowers the expectation of privacy. That expectation reverts to the company deploying it, which makes it somewhat comparable to a third-party record: data obtained by an automatic process that belongs to the company deploying the data-gathering device (in this case, a car).

Since there’s no driver to challenge searches, the responsibility lies with the company deploying the vehicle. And, since the recordings presumably cover public areas where the privacy expectation is further lowered, it might be possible to obtain recordings with nothing more than a subpoena (or a friendly sounding email!)

That’s where things get even thornier, in terms of the Fourth Amendment. The document does not describe the process the SFPD investigations team uses to obtain recordings.

First of all, how does the SFPD even know if AV recordings might be useful in ongoing investigations? Presumably, AV operators are required to inform local government agencies of their plans so that they can be overseen and undertaken safely. If cops know the routes traveled, it makes sense they would pursue footage recorded at or around areas where suspected crimes were committed.

But who governs this access? Has the city enacted any limits? Or is it just assumed that anything traffic regulators have access to should be accessible to law enforcement?

Moving on from there, how does the PD approach these companies? Private searches (which may be how these recordings are viewed by courts) are legally provided law enforcement does nothing to encourage searches companies (or their employees) may not otherwise engage in. Can cops request AV companies run routes through “high crime” areas in hopes of collecting footage of crimes in progress? All judicial signs point to “no,” but that doesn’t mean it’s not happening.

AV testing is AV testing. It really doesn’t matter much where it’s happening, so some companies may engage in test runs in neighborhoods investigators think might provide more evidence or intel. If this is happening, that’s a real problem.

Unfortunately, we only know what the SFPD has released so far: a training document that says AV cars capture footage and that investigators have utilized that footage in the past. Future public records requests may shed more light on the matter, but for now, this is all we have. At some point, evidence gathered by autonomous vehicles may be challenged in court. If and when that happens, we may get even more answers. But it seems like this isn’t a problem capable of being quantified with this minimum amount of information. That doesn’t mean it should be ignored. It just means more data is needed to draw any solid conclusions.

Filed Under: 4th amendment, autonomous vehicles, monitoring, recordings, san francisco, sfpd, surveillance

The post San Francisco Cops Are Accessing Autonomous Car Recordings To Acquire Proof appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF / AP) – After more than a year of a COVID-19 hiatus, California officials again began demanding job-search evidence from citizens in order to receive their unemployment benefits.

The job search obligation had been suspended during the months of the pandemic.

CONTINUE READING: UPDATE: State Requiring Proof of Job Seeker for Unemployment Benefit; How will EDD enforce it?

“If you receive regular unemployment benefits, the job-search obligation will be reintroduced for most applicants from July 11th in order to maintain entitlement to benefits,” Labor Department officials wrote on their website. “The requirement applies to the search for a suitable job that is safe for re-entry and which is comparable to your skills, experience, your usual job, your age and your state of health.”

To help with the search, EDD officials have published resources for unemployed applicants.

Here’s what state officials say is appropriate for “reasonable efforts in finding suitable work.”

• Set up an account with CalJOBS, take part in re-employment services, publish a profile on various job search or network sites.
• Let friends, previous employers, or community members know that you’re looking for work. Take part in networking, job fairs or clubs.
• Apply for positions with employers who are reasonably expected to have suitable vacancies with appropriate skills and experience, including government agencies and exams.
• Participate in approved education and training opportunities that facilitate access to employment and do not interfere with taking up decent full-time employment.

Read also: State that requires a job search certificate for unemployment benefit; How will EDD enforce it?

The state created 104,500 jobs in May – the fourth month in a row with six-digit job growth, after 102,000 jobs created in April, 132,400 jobs created in March and 156,100 new jobs in February:

“California continues to lead the country’s economic recovery, adding 104,500 jobs in May, the fourth straight month in six-figure jobs,” Governor Gavin Newsom said in a statement. “Our health-centric approach has saved lives and resulted in one of the lowest case numbers and the most vaccinations in the country – now we are the nationwide leader in health and economic outcomes. We’ve reclaimed more than half the jobs we lost last year, but there’s still a long way to go – that’s why we’re investing in historic tax cuts and grants for small businesses, tax breaks for two-thirds of California families, and rental breaks for those who those most affected by the pandemic. “

Since the pandemic began, California – the nation’s most populous state with nearly 40 million residents – has processed more than 20 million jobless claims and paid out more than $ 128 billion in benefits.

Full coverage of EDD payment system fraud during the COVID-19 pandemic

Typically, the highest money anyone can get from unemployment benefits in California is $ 450 a week. But Congress added an extra $ 300 a week because of the pandemic. This additional money does not expire until September.

However, as coronavirus cases have declined while more people are being vaccinated, employers have indicated they are having a hard time finding work, especially in the service industry.

Kyle Conner, who owns the Alameda Cinema Grill, Alameda Theater, and Cineplex, is one of those small businesses struggling to reopen fully.

“I started closing on Mondays,” he told KPIX 5. “I was always out seven days a week.”

The staff shortage also forced him to shorten his business hours. He has a dozen vacancies.

CONTINUE READING: Women prisoner, Fresno man in California convicts EDD fraud

“I work with two chefs,” he said. “Before the pandemic, we had five or six. I’m looking for a head chief, two or three line cooks, probably three waiters, bussers, dishwashers, bartenders. Everything.”

Labor experts blamed the labor shortage in part on adding extra money from unemployment benefits to incentivizing people to stay home. And not only the gastronomy, the entire service industry is facing the same challenge.

“We were open seven days a week before the pandemic,” said Julie Pruitt, owner of Acne Specialists of Oakland. “And now we’re only five open because I don’t have enough staff.”

Robert La Come is quite a gamer. At the age of 71, he bought City Forest Catering in San Francisco in the middle of a pandemic when there were no catering events. Now that the customers are finally back, he says the workers are not.

“The problem for me is that people get paid not to work,” he said. “They get this unemployment and that’s what they tell me, ‘Oh, I’m getting unemployment, I can’t work.’ Or: ‘When it’s over, I can work for you.’ “

“Now, starting this week, those who are regularly unemployed and receive the state extension allowance should look for work,” said EDD spokeswoman Loree Levy. “So if you go to certification this week on Sunday, you can say, yes, I was looking for a job.”

Levy said that people who confirm they have looked for work do so under penalty of perjury and that they should keep a record of their efforts in case EDD asks them to provide evidence. However, former EDD director Michael Bernick says people don’t have to prove they are looking for work and he doubts that this will actually be enforced. He says that as long as other factors exist that give people more reasons to stay home, employers might have difficulty hiring.

“I think things won’t really change until September, when the (federal) unemployment benefit subsidy ends,” said Bernick, “and when schools finally reopen and childcare increases and people’s real and imagined health problems decrease. Only when these elements come into play will we see a real return to work. “

Bernick says the pandemic hiatus has given people a chance to rethink whether they want to go back to work and at what price.

That could be a problem for La Come, who said he could hire up to 10 more employees. Heading into the busy holiday catering season, he hopes his kitchen will be full of workers making paychecks again and helping make the big bet he placed on the business pay off.

“I think everyone should pay their way, you know?” He said. “I had to do it. Why shouldn’t you?”

John Ramos contributed to this report.

MORE NEWS: The California EDD requires proof of job search starting July in order to receive benefits

The post California EDD Now Requiring Proof of Job Search To Acquire Unemployment Advantages – CBS San Francisco appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF / AP) – Nach mehr als einem Jahr einer COVID-19-Pause begannen kalifornische Beamte am Sonntag erneut, von Staatsbürgern den Nachweis einer Arbeitssuche zu verlangen, um ihr Arbeitslosengeld zu erhalten.

Die Pflicht zur Arbeitssuche war in den Monaten der Pandemie ausgesetzt worden.

WEITERLESEN: UPDATE: Staat, der einen Arbeitssuchnachweis für Arbeitslosengeld verlangt; Wie wird EDD es durchsetzen?

„Wenn Sie regelmäßiges Arbeitslosengeld beziehen, wird die Verpflichtung zur Arbeitssuche für die meisten Antragsteller ab dem 11. Juli wieder eingeführt, um den Anspruch auf Leistungen aufrechtzuerhalten“, schrieben Beamte der Arbeitsabteilung auf ihrer Website. „Die Anforderung gilt für die Suche nach einer geeigneten, wiedereinstiegssicheren Arbeit, die mit Ihren Fähigkeiten, Erfahrungen, Ihrer üblichen Tätigkeit, Ihrem Alter und Ihrem Gesundheitszustand vergleichbar ist.“

Um bei der Suche zu helfen, haben EDD-Beamte Ressourcen für Arbeitslosenbewerber veröffentlicht.

Hier ist, was nach Aussage von Staatsbeamten für „angemessene Bemühungen bei der Suche nach geeigneter Arbeit“ geeignet ist.

• Richten Sie ein Konto bei CalJOBS ein, nehmen Sie an Wiedereinstellungsdiensten teil, veröffentlichen Sie ein Profil auf verschiedenen Jobsuch- oder Netzwerkseiten.
• Informieren Sie Freunde, frühere Arbeitgeber oder Community-Mitglieder, dass Sie nach Arbeit suchen. Nehmen Sie an Networking-, Job-Messen-Events oder Clubs teil.
• Bewerben Sie sich auf Stellen bei Arbeitgebern, von denen vernünftigerweise erwartet wird, dass sie über geeignete Stellenangebote mit entsprechenden Fähigkeiten und Erfahrungen verfügen, einschließlich Regierungsstellen und Prüfungen.
• Nehmen Sie an zulässigen Bildungs- und Ausbildungsmöglichkeiten teil, die den Zugang zu einem Arbeitsplatz erleichtern und die Aufnahme einer angemessenen Vollzeitbeschäftigung nicht beeinträchtigen.

Lesen Sie auch: Staat, der einen Arbeitssuchenachweis für Arbeitslosengeld verlangt; Wie wird EDD es durchsetzen?

Der Staat hat im Mai 104.500 Stellen geschaffen – der vierte Monat in Folge mit sechsstelligen Stellenzuwächsen, nach 102.000 im April geschaffenen Stellen, 132.400 im März geschaffenen Stellen und 156.100 neuen Stellen im Februar:

„Kalifornien ist weiterhin führend bei der wirtschaftlichen Erholung des Landes und hat im Mai 104.500 Arbeitsplätze geschaffen, was den vierten Monat in Folge mit sechsstelligen Arbeitsplätzen markiert“, sagte Gouverneur Gavin Newsom in einer Erklärung. „Unser gesundheitsorientierter Ansatz hat Leben gerettet und zu einer der niedrigsten Fallzahlen und den meisten Impfungen des Landes geführt – jetzt sind wir landesweit führend in Bezug auf Gesundheit und wirtschaftliche Ergebnisse. Wir haben mehr als die Hälfte der Arbeitsplätze zurückgewonnen, die wir im letzten Jahr verloren haben, aber es ist noch ein langer Weg – deshalb investieren wir in historische Steuersenkungen und Zuschüsse für kleine Unternehmen, Steuernachlässe für zwei Drittel der kalifornischen Familien und Mieterleichterungen für diejenigen, die am stärksten von der Pandemie betroffen sind.“

Seit Beginn der Pandemie hat Kalifornien – der bevölkerungsreichste Bundesstaat der Nation mit fast 40 Millionen Einwohnern – mehr als 20 Millionen Arbeitslosenanträge bearbeitet und mehr als 128 Milliarden US-Dollar an Leistungen ausgezahlt.

Vollständige Abdeckung des EDD-Zahlungssystembetrugs während der COVID-19-Pandemie

Normalerweise beträgt das höchste Geld, das jemand in Kalifornien von Arbeitslosengeld bekommen kann, 450 US-Dollar pro Woche. Aber der Kongress hat wegen der Pandemie zusätzlich 300 US-Dollar pro Woche hinzugefügt. Dieses zusätzliche Geld verfällt nicht vor September.

Da jedoch die Coronavirus-Fälle zurückgegangen sind, während mehr Menschen geimpft werden, haben Arbeitgeber angegeben, dass es ihnen schwer fällt, Arbeitskräfte zu finden, insbesondere in der Dienstleistungsbranche.

Kyle Conner, der Alameda Cinema Grill, Alameda Theatre und Cineplex besitzt, gehört zu den kleinen Unternehmen, die Schwierigkeiten haben, vollständig wieder zu eröffnen.

“Ich habe montags angefangen zu schließen”, sagte er KPIX 5. “Ich war immer sieben Tage die Woche.”

Der Personalmangel zwang ihn auch, seine Geschäftszeiten zu verkürzen. Er hat ein Dutzend Stellenangebote.

WEITERLESEN: Frauengefängnishäftling, Fresno-Mann in Kalifornien verurteilt EDD-Betrug

„Ich arbeite mit zwei Köchen“, sagte er. „Vor der Pandemie hatten wir fünf oder sechs. Ich suche einen Head Chief, zwei oder drei Linienköche, wahrscheinlich drei Kellner, Bussers, Geschirrspüler, Barkeeper. Alles.”

Arbeitsexperten machten den Arbeitskräftemangel teilweise auf zusätzliches Geld aus dem Arbeitslosengeld für die Anreize für die Menschen, zu Hause zu bleiben, verantwortlich. Und nicht nur die Gastronomie, die gesamte Dienstleistungsbranche steht vor der gleichen Herausforderung.

“Wir hatten sieben Tage die Woche vor der Pandemie geöffnet”, sagte Julie Pruitt, Inhaberin von Acne Specialists of Oakland. „Und jetzt haben wir nur fünf geöffnet, weil ich nicht genug Personal habe.“

Robert La Come ist ein ziemlicher Spieler. Im Alter von 71 Jahren kaufte er mitten in einer Pandemie City Forest Catering in San Francisco, als keine Veranstaltungen mit Catering stattfanden. Jetzt, als die Kunden endlich wieder da sind, sagt er, die Arbeiter seien es nicht.

„Das Problem für mich ist, dass die Leute dafür bezahlt werden, nicht zu arbeiten“, sagte er. „Sie bekommen diese Arbeitslosigkeit und das ist es, was sie mir sagen: ‚Oh, ich bekomme Arbeitslosigkeit, ich kann nicht arbeiten.’ Oder: ‚Wenn es vorbei ist, kann ich für dich arbeiten.’“

„Jetzt, ab dieser Woche, sollten diejenigen, die regelmäßig arbeitslos sind und das staatliche Verlängerungsgeld beziehen, nach Arbeit suchen“, sagte EDD-Sprecherin Loree Levy. „Wenn sie also ab Sonntag für diese Woche zur Zertifizierung gehen, können sie sagen, ja, ich habe Arbeit gesucht.“

Levy sagte, dass Leute, die bestätigen, dass sie nach Arbeit gesucht haben, dies unter Strafe des Meineids tun und dass sie ein Protokoll über ihre Bemühungen führen sollten, falls EDD sie um einen Nachweis bittet. Der ehemalige EDD-Direktor Michael Bernick sagt jedoch, dass die Leute nicht nachweisen müssen, dass sie nach Arbeit suchen, und er bezweifelt, dass dies tatsächlich durchgesetzt wird. Er sagt, solange andere Faktoren existieren, die den Menschen mehr Gründe geben, zu Hause zu bleiben, könnten Arbeitgeber Schwierigkeiten bei der Einstellung haben.

„Ich denke, die Dinge werden sich wirklich erst im September ändern, wenn der (Bundes-)Arbeitslosengeldzuschuss endet“, sagte Bernick, „und wenn die Schulen endlich wieder öffnen und die Kinderbetreuung zunimmt und die tatsächlichen und eingebildeten Gesundheitsprobleme der Menschen abnehmen. Erst wenn diese Elemente ins Spiel kommen, werden wir eine echte Rückkehr zur Arbeit erleben.“

Bernick sagt, die Pandemiepause habe den Menschen die Möglichkeit gegeben, zu überdenken, ob sie überhaupt wieder arbeiten wollen und zu welchem ​​Preis.

Das könnte ein Problem für La Come sein, der sagte, er könne bis zu 10 weitere Mitarbeiter einstellen. Auf dem Weg in die geschäftige Ferien-Catering-Saison hofft er, dass seine Küche voller Arbeiter sein wird, die wieder einen Gehaltsscheck verdienen und dazu beitragen, dass sich die große Wette, die er auf das Geschäft gesetzt hat, auszahlt.

„Ich denke, jeder sollte seinen Weg bezahlen, weißt du?“ er sagte. “Ich musste es tun. Warum sollten sie nicht?”

John Ramos hat zu diesem Bericht beigetragen.

MEHR NACHRICHTEN: Die kalifornische EDD verlangt ab Juli einen Nachweis über die Arbeitssuche, um Leistungen zu erhalten

The post California EDD Now Requiring Proof of Job Search To Gather Unemployment Advantages – CBS San Francisco appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF / AP) – After more than a year of a COVID-19 hiatus, California officials again began demanding job-search evidence from citizens in order to receive their unemployment benefits.

The job search obligation had been suspended during the months of the pandemic.

CONTINUE READING: The California EDD requires proof of job search starting July in order to receive benefits

“If you receive regular unemployment benefits, the job-search obligation will be reintroduced for most applicants from July 11th in order to maintain entitlement to benefits,” Labor Department officials wrote on their website. “The requirement applies to the search for a suitable job that is safe for re-entry and which is comparable to your skills, experience, your usual job, your age and your state of health.”

To help with the search, EDD officials have published resources for unemployed applicants.

Here’s what state officials say is appropriate for “reasonable efforts in finding suitable work.”

• Set up an account with CalJOBS, take part in re-employment services, publish a profile on various job search or network sites.
• Let friends, previous employers, or community members know that you are looking for work. Take part in networking, job fair events or clubs.
• Apply for positions with employers who are reasonably expected to have suitable vacancies with appropriate skills and experience, including government agencies and exams.
• Participate in approved education and training opportunities that facilitate access to employment and do not interfere with taking up decent full-time employment.

The state created 104,500 jobs in May – the fourth month in a row with six-digit job growth, after 102,000 jobs created in April, 132,400 jobs created in March and 156,100 new jobs in February:

“California continues to lead the country’s economic recovery, adding 104,500 jobs in May, the fourth straight month in six-figure jobs,” Governor Gavin Newsom said in a statement. “Our health-centric approach has saved lives and resulted in one of the lowest case numbers and the most vaccinations in the country – now we are the nationwide leader in health and economic outcomes. We’ve reclaimed more than half the jobs we lost last year, but there’s still a long way to go – that’s why we’re investing in historic tax cuts and grants for small businesses, tax breaks for two-thirds of California families, and rental breaks for those who those most affected by the pandemic. “

Since the pandemic began, California – the nation’s most populous state with nearly 40 million residents – has processed more than 20 million jobless claims and paid out more than $ 128 billion in benefits.

Full coverage of EDD payment system fraud during the COVID-19 pandemic

CONTINUE READING: California EDD fraud conviction results in 6-year prison sentence for Stockton Man

Typically, the highest money anyone can get from unemployment benefits in California is $ 450 a week. But Congress added an extra $ 300 a week because of the pandemic. This additional money does not expire until September.

However, as coronavirus cases have declined while more people are being vaccinated, employers have indicated they are having a hard time finding work, especially in the service industry.

Kyle Conner, who owns the Alameda Cinema Grill, Alameda Theater, and Cineplex, is one of those small businesses struggling to reopen fully.

“I started closing on Mondays,” he told KPIX 5. “I was always out seven days a week.”

The staff shortage also forced him to shorten his business hours. He has a dozen vacancies.

“I work with two chefs,” he said. “Before the pandemic, we had five or six. I’m looking for a head chief, two or three line cooks, probably three waiters, bussers, dishwashers, bartenders. Everything.”

Labor experts blamed the labor shortage in part on adding extra money from unemployment benefits to incentivizing people to stay home. And not only the gastronomy, the entire service industry is facing the same challenge.

MORE NEWS: NorCal prison inmate, 3 others charged with $ 1.2 million EDD fraud program in California

“We were open seven days a week before the pandemic,” said Julie Pruitt, owner of Acne Specialists of Oakland. “And now we’re only five open because I don’t have enough staff.”

The post California EDD Now Requiring Proof of Job Search To Accumulate Unemployment Advantages – CBS San Francisco appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF / AP) – After more than a year of a COVID-19 hiatus, California officials again began demanding job-search evidence from citizens in order to receive their unemployment benefits.

The job search obligation had been suspended during the months of the pandemic.

CONTINUE READING: The California EDD requires proof of job search starting July in order to receive benefits

“If you receive regular unemployment benefits, the job-search obligation will be reintroduced for most applicants from July 11th in order to maintain entitlement to benefits,” Labor Department officials wrote on their website. “The requirement applies to the search for a suitable job that is safe for re-entry and which is comparable to your skills, experience, your usual job, your age and your state of health.”

To help with the search, EDD officials have published resources for unemployed applicants.

Here’s what state officials say is appropriate for “reasonable efforts in finding suitable work.”

• Set up an account with CalJOBS, take part in re-employment services, publish a profile on various job search or network sites.
• Let friends, previous employers, or community members know that you are looking for work. Take part in networking, job fair events or clubs.
• Apply for positions with employers who are reasonably expected to have suitable vacancies with appropriate skills and experience, including government agencies and exams.
• Participate in approved education and training opportunities that facilitate access to employment and do not interfere with taking up decent full-time employment.

The state created 104,500 jobs in May – the fourth month in a row with six-digit job growth, after 102,000 jobs created in April, 132,400 jobs created in March and 156,100 new jobs in February:

“California continues to lead the country’s economic recovery, adding 104,500 jobs in May, the fourth straight month in six-figure jobs,” Governor Gavin Newsom said in a statement. “Our health-centric approach has saved lives and resulted in one of the lowest case numbers and the most vaccinations in the country – now we are the nationwide leader in health and economic outcomes. We’ve reclaimed more than half the jobs we lost last year, but there’s still a long way to go – that’s why we’re investing in historic tax cuts and grants for small businesses, tax breaks for two-thirds of California families, and rental breaks for those who those most affected by the pandemic. “

Since the pandemic began, California – the nation’s most populous state with nearly 40 million residents – has processed more than 20 million jobless claims and paid out more than $ 128 billion in benefits.

Full coverage of EDD payment system fraud during the COVID-19 pandemic

CONTINUE READING: California EDD fraud conviction results in 6-year prison sentence for Stockton Man

Typically, the highest money anyone can get from unemployment benefits in California is $ 450 a week. But Congress added an extra $ 300 a week because of the pandemic. This additional money does not expire until September.

However, as coronavirus cases have declined while more people are being vaccinated, employers have indicated they are having a hard time finding work, especially in the service industry.

Kyle Conner, who owns the Alameda Cinema Grill, Alameda Theater, and Cineplex, is one of those small businesses struggling to reopen fully.

“I started closing on Mondays,” he told KPIX 5. “I was always out seven days a week.”

The staff shortage also forced him to shorten his business hours. He has a dozen vacancies.

“I work with two chefs,” he said. “Before the pandemic, we had five or six. I’m looking for a head chief, two or three line cooks, probably three waiters, bussers, dishwashers, bartenders. Everything.”

Labor experts blamed the labor shortage in part on adding extra money from unemployment benefits to incentivizing people to stay home. And not only the gastronomy, the entire service industry is facing the same challenge.

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“We were open seven days a week before the pandemic,” said Julie Pruitt, owner of Acne Specialists of Oakland. “And now we’re only five open because I don’t have enough staff.”

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