CA Governor Schwarzenegger Praises Passage of Legislation to Help Laid Off Californians

05/11/2009 -- California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today issued the following statement after the passage of AB 23 by Assemblymember Dave Jones (D-Sacramento), a bill allowing workers laid off from small businesses to receive federal aid for health insurance from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act).

“We are working around the clock to ensure Recovery Act funding is pumped into our economy quickly and effectively to help California’s unemployed. I look forward to signing this bill and by doing so, we’ll offer Californians laid off during this national economic downturn an affordable opportunity to keep their health care coverage.”

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AB 23 will ensure that Californians who lose their jobs through layoff or other involuntary termination while working for a small employer (two - 19 employees) are notified they may be eligible for a 65 percent subsidy under the federal stimulus bill to help them pay for and keep their health insurance. Employees of larger companies already qualify. It also gives those who lost their jobs on September 1, 2008 through February 16th and did not elect to continue their health insurance under Cal-COBRA the ability to seek that coverage now with a significant federal subsidy.

Source: California Governor