California COVID-19 News (April 19, 2021)

Office of the Governor

• Governor Newsom Signs Legislation Supporting Workers Displaced by the COVID-19 Pandemic (04/16/2021)
  • Governor Newsom signed Senate Bill No. 93, which requires employers in the hospitality and business services industries to offer new positions to qualified former employees laid off due to COVID-19 within five business days of establishing a position, through 2024.
• As Vaccine Eligibility Expands Statewide, California Partners with Nearly 200 Places of Worship to Ramp Up Equity-Centered Outreach (04/16/2021)
  • California is partnering with 200 faith-based organizations to expand the state’s vaccine outreach and equity efforts. 25,000 COVID-19 vaccines will be provided to pop-up locations at faith-based organizations in the hardest-hit areas of the state. To date, more than 38,000 doses have been administered to places of worship, and 13 pop-up clinics have operated at places of worship. Pop-up clinics have received funding through the Together Toward Health initiative, a $29.4 million public-private partnership with Public Health Institute.
• All Californians 16+ Now Eligible for COVID-19 Vaccines (04/15/2021)
  • Nearly half of all residents 16 and older have already received at least one dose, including 73.9% of seniors aged 65 and over.

Employment Development Department

• California unemployment rate decreases to 8.3% in March (04/19/2021)
  • California’s employers gained 119,600 jobs, decreasing the unemployment rate 0.2 percentage points to 8.3%. California has regained 44% of the 714,800 total nonfarm jobs lost in March and April 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.