California in a jam after borrowing billions to pay unemployment benefits

"So there's a structural deficit that underlies this crisis moment with this huge debt to the federal government."

Data also show that jobless workers in California stay on unemployment significantly longer than the national average, which adds to the total payout amount. And California workers claim unemployment benefits in disproportionately high numbers.

The state currently accounts for about 20% of the nation's jobless claims, far in excess of its 11% share of the labor force population. That partly reflects the state's higher unemployment and accompanying increases in layoffs and jobless claims in the tech industry and other sectors, but also its comparatively easier eligibility rules and low re-employment rate.

Last year California's jobless workers received on average $385 a week, replacing only about 28% of the average wage. Both figures are lower than the national averages, according to Department of Labor statistics. (The wage replacement rate is about 50% for minimum-wage workers in California.)

From surplus to deficit

But California also stands out as an outlier in the way it's managed, or mismanaged, the program.

When COVID struck in March 2020, U.S. unemployment jumped to 14.8% a month later and brought unprecedented jobless claims, forcing California and many other states to borrow from the federal government to keep paying benefits. Almost all of the other states have since repaid those loans, some with pandemic relief money they also got from Washington.

Today only New York and California, plus the Virgin Islands, still owe money for unemployment insurance loans.

Analysts said California could have used some of the $43.5 billion the state received in American Rescue Plan Act money to pay down the debt. Instead, state officials spent the relief money for other purposes, including additional stimulus checks to residents.

"California had options and it chose the spending option instead of the responsible option," said Matt Weidinger, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute who has written widely on the unemployment insurance program. He said higher employer payroll taxes will ultimately spill over to employees in the form of less wages.

...continued

swipe to next page