Free Meals for LAUSD Students

• LA Unified is opening 60 "Grab and Go" Food Centers across the city. Each child can take home two nutritious meals.
• Starting Wednesday, March 18th, 2020.
• Open weekdays from 7:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.

Locations of the centers, and other educational resources, can be found at achieve.lausd.net/resources.

Meals for Seniors in LA County (County of Los Angeles)

• Congregate Meals for Seniors: Workforce Development, Aging and Community services operates 100 congregate meal sites, primarily at senior centers and parks.
• The county is transitioning all sites that serve congregate meals to distributing packaged/frozen meals or providing home-delivered meals. These actions will ensure we continue offering meals to seniors, but do so in a manner that reduces coronavirus exposure and risk.
• 55 sites will transition on Monday, March 16th and the remainder on a staggered basis by Thursday, March 19th.
• Once finalized, a complete list can be found at wdacs.lacounty.gov.
• A map of detailed plans for each site: https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1paBMfsRqsS4r9Px4xiOGYCfxA4-J9y2E&ll=34.029728592186366%2C-118.13568714999201&z=10

Disability/Paid Family Leave Benefits for COVID-19 (California Employment Development Department – EDD, COVID-19 FAQ)

• Benefits Available to Those Sick and Cannot Work
• Individuals are able to file a Disability Insurance (DI) claim, providing short-term benefit payments eligible workers who have a full or partial loss of wages due to a non-work-related illness.
• The Governor's Executive Order will waive the one-week unpaid waiting period to collect DI benefits for the first week out of work.
• What forms are needed:
• Requirement can be met by a medical certification signed by treating a physician or a practitioner that includes a diagnosis and ICD-10 code, or a statement of symptoms, start date of condition, probable duration; and treating physician's or practitioner's license number or facility information. Can also be met by a written order from a state or local health officer specific to you.
• Fastest processing occurs online, and submit supporting medical documentation immediately after.
• How much can be earned:
• Approximately 60-70 percent of wages, depending on income, ranging from $50-$1,3000 a week. EDD has a Disability Insurance Calculator. Payments are paid through the date of a doctor's certification or when available benefits are exhausted, whichever comes first within a 52-week period.
• The Governor's Executive Order waives the one week waiting period.
• Individuals who are quarantined, as certified by a medical professional or a state or local health officer, can qualify for disability insurance.
• Benefits Available to Self-employed or Otherwise Not Covered by State Disability Insurance (SDI) Program
• Individuals can be eligible for benefits if they pay into Disability Insurance Elective Coverage (DIEC). DIEC is an option for self-employed individuals, like independent contractors, and employers to apply for coverage under SDI. More info here.
• Benefits Available for Individuals Caring for A Sick Family Member Who Miss Work
• Individuals can file a Paid Family Leave (PFL) Claim
• Provides up to six weeks of benefit payments to eligible workers who have a full or partial loss of wages because they need time off work to care for a seriously ill family member
• Necessary documentation:
• Medical documentation regarding family member in care who is either ill or quarantined due to COVID-19.
• This requirement can be met by a medical certification for that person from a treating physician or a practitioner that includes a diagnosis and ICD-10 code, or a statement of symptoms; the start date of the condition; its probable duration; and the treating physician's or practitioner's license number or facility information.
• This requirement can also be met by a written order from a state or local health officer that is specific to your family member's situation. Absent those documents from a physician or health officer, individuals may be eligible for an Unemployment Insurance (UI) claim instead. 
• Individuals may also request EDD to send a  Claim for Paid Family Leave (PFL) Benefits (DE 2501F) (PDF) form, which can be ordered online.
• If medical documentation is provided in any other form other than the EDD's designated claim form, it should be submitted separately by mail to:

Employment Development Department
PO Box 45011
Fresno, CA 93718-5011

• Individuals can receive approximately 60-70 percent of wages, depending on income, ranging from $50-$1,3000 a week. EDD has a Paid Family Leave Calculator.

Unemployment Insurance Benefits for COVID-19 (California Employment Development Department – EDD, COVID-19 FAQ)

• Benefits Available for Individuals Quarantined, Not Ill, and Not Eligible for Disability Insurance
• Individuals are encouraged to apply for Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits if unemployed including reasons such as:
• Hours reduced due to quarantine
• Separated from employer during quarantine
• Subject to a quarantine required by a medical professional or state local health officer
• Individuals are eligible if they have enough earnings over the past 12-18 months and meet other criteria.
• Benefits Available to Those Self-Quarantining Due to Underlying Health Conditions & Exposure to Virus
• Individuals may be eligible for benefits. EDD representatives will seek details and determine eligibility.
• Benefits Available to Those Caring for Non-Ill Children Whose School Has Shut Down/Had to Quit to Provide Child Care
• Individuals may be eligible for benefits. EDD representatives will seek details and determine eligibility.
• Benefits Available to Those Whose Employer Reduces Hours or Shuts Down Operations Due to the Virus
• Individuals are encouraged to file an Unemployment Insurance (UI) claim. 
• UI provides partial wage replacement benefit payments to workers who lose their job or have their hours reduced, through no fault of their own.
• Workers who are temporarily unemployed due to COVID-19 and are expected to return to work with their employer within a few weeks are not required to actively seek work each week.
• However, they must remain able, available, and ready to work during their unemployment for each week of benefits claimed and meet all other eligibility criteria.
• Individuals can receive benefits ranging from $40-450 a week.
• The number of weeks to potentially receive benefits ranges from 13 to 26 weeks. Payment could stretch to a longer duration if work is performed for pay or if other deductible income is received during the course of a claim.
• EDD has an Unemployment Insurance Calculator.
• The Governor's Executive Order waives the one-week unpaid waiting period, so individuals can collect UI benefits for the first week they are out of work.
• Individuals can apply and file a claim for unemployment and disability benefits at the same time, but can only collect payments under one program at a time.
• Individuals can collect unemployment benefits if laid off/had hours reduced, then switch to disability if they become sick.
• Similarly, individuals can start collecting unemployment benefits because if they have been laid off or have had work hours reduced, and then switch to a Paid Family Leave claim if they must care for a family member who is sick.