After COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic, various states have developed mechanisms to combat it. Most of these adjustments have adversely affected the residents. In that case, California lawyers have come up with numerous mechanisms to assist the state occupants. The following are some of them, as discussed by Jean Danhong Chen, a well-regarded immigration lawyer in San Jose.
Helping Residents Collect Unemployment Benefits
Most Californians out of work due to COVID-19 should receive unemployment compensation. The funds can be assessed by the residents who lost their jobs because of reasons beyond their control. The payment is meant to provide Californians with temporary cash to survive as they seek new job opportunities.
Those who qualify for the compensation are mainly the residents who earned from $1300 in their highest-paid calendar quarter. In case your employer laid you off as a downsizing measure due to the current economic state, you are eligible for the funds.
Moreover, residents who were fired for reasons that cannot be classified as misconducts, such as not being fit for the team, qualify for the funds. The benefits are being applied online via emails or by phone.
Lawyers like Jean Danhong Chen help those residents who are eligible for the funds and have not yet assessed them in the application process. They are also offering guidance to those who are not sure whether they qualify for the funds.
Protecting Residents against Price Gouging
Some shrewd sellers may take advantage of the disastrous situation and unfairly sell products at inflated prices. The federal government has declared price gouging illegal. It further developed a law that instructed sellers not to increase consumer goods, food items, emergency, and medical supplies with more than ten percent of the previous cost. This also applies to those who offer transportation, emergency cleanups, storage, freight, reconstruction, and repair services.
The law can also be applied in transactions between retailers, distributors, manufactures, consumers, and wholesalers. The law should apply during an emergency period, such as the COVID-19 season. Lawyers based in California are working to ensure those who violate the law are prosecuted.
In case one is found guilty, they can be fined up to $10,000 or spend a maximum of one year in county jail. By doing so, they are ensuring California residents can access their daily products with ease during this challenging period.
Jean D. Chen on Immigrants’ Rights
Coronavirus pandemic has created more challenges for immigrants. Some of them are on the front line, assisting those affected by the pandemic. Others have lost their jobs due to massive layoffs being experienced in the current economic situation. This includes working in hospitality, building services, travel, food service, and the personal service sector. Jean Danhong Chen and his team of reputable immigrant lawyers are assisting immigrants in knowing their rights and staying safe during these unprecedented times.
They are helping those who have lost their jobs get compensated through immigrants’ funds set aside by the federal government. Moreover, they are advising them on mechanisms they can use to apply for economic stimulus payments. This kind of assistance helps immigrants residing in California push through the challenges they are experiencing attributed to COVID-19.
Employment Problems Related to COVID-19
One of the significant impacts of Coronavirus is an adverse effect on the economy. This has resulted in new safety requirement measures at the workplace and layoffs due to losses experienced. Lawyers are advising employers on how they can protect their workers and reputation amid the pandemic. This includes providing proper protective gear as well as compensations in case they lay off their employees.
On the other hand, the lawyers are also informing employees on their rights and helping them file cases if they are unlawfully fired. They are also advising them on the appropriate decisions to make if they are requested to sign COVID-19 wavers by their bosses. Moreover, they remind them that they still have a right to fair wages despite the presence of a global pandemic.
Jean D. Chen on CLA COVID—19 Aid
The CLA and other volunteers have compiled wealth resources to help Californians cope with the upheavals caused by COVID-19. For the same reasons, the team of lawyers has developed a portal with relevant information to help the residents navigate the Coronavirus crisis. As attorneys, they feel that they are trusted, community advisors. Subsequently, they have to help the society cope and successfully manage problems caused by the pandemic. The layers have contributed articles to give legal advice to typical problems Californians may be facing during this period. They have also established a YouTube channel that they post informative videos covering numerous issues.
COVID-19 has affected every Californian in one way or another. Most of these problems are unfamiliar to them since society has never encountered a similar pandemic. California lawyers have helped the residents by educating them, protecting their rights, and providing them with legal help whenever necessary.