GLOSSARY OF TERMS

The following definitions explain the terms used in the tables of this report. They may be simplifications and abbreviations of official definitions, and are not necessarily the legal definitions used in determining Claimants' Rights under the Code. Some definitions pertain only to this study.

Alternative Formulas:

House Resolution 98 calls for five such alternatives, which includes:

1. Present earnings provisions of Unemployment Insurance Code.
Earnings of at least $20 a week during each of at least 20 weeks
in the base period.

2.

3. Earnings of at least $20 a week during each of at least 15 weeks
in the base period.

4. Earnings of at least $350 in each of two calendar quarters in the
base period.

5. Earnings of at least $600 in the base period and at least $200 in
each of two calendar quarters.

Each of these formulas was applied to earnings during the present base period, and also to earnings during a period consisting of the 52 weeks immediately preceding the week of the claim.

Average Weekly Earnings:

For the purposes of this study, average weekly earnings were obtained by dividing the total covered earnings (during the present base period or during the 52-week period preceding the week of the claim) by the number of weeks with earnings of $20 or more.

Base Period:

The base period is, at present, four consecutive calendar quarters, usually the first four of the last five completed quarters immediately preceding the filing of a. claim establishing a benefit year. The alternative base period consists of the fifty two weeks immediately preceding the week of the claim, with no "lag period" intervening.

Benefit Year:

The 52-week period beginning with the first day of the week with respect to which a claimant files a valid new claim for benefits.

Dependents:

A working wife is here treated as a dependent, even if she customarily works for wages. Other family members, except students, are counted as dependents only if they have less than $600 per year of their own income, and the claimant contributes one-half or more of their support.

Disability Insurance Benefits:

Benefits paid under the California Unemployment Insurance Code to workers suffering a disease or injury that is not work connected.

Duration of Benefits:

The maximum potential duration of regular benefits is 26 full weeks. However, if one-half of the claimant's base period earnings are less than 26 times his weekly benefit amount, his total award is limited to one-half of these base period earnings.

Education:

The highest grade of regular full-time school completed by the claimant, as reported by him.

Eligible Claimant:

A claimant who files a new claim with base period earnings sufficient to meet specified eligibility requirements.

Employed:

A person is here reported as employed if he worked or received pay for any part of the payroll period reported. Part-time workers and those on paid vacation and paid sick leave are counted as employed; excluded are persons on leave of absence, unpaid sick leave, unpaid vacation, or involved in a trade dispute and receiving no pay.

Persons who customarily work less than 35 hours a week are classified as part-time workers.

Exhausts:

Exhaust claimants are those who have received all the regular benefits to which they are entitled during the benefit year.

Family Residence:

A claimant is reported as living with his family if he lives in a household
with one or more persons related to him by blood or marriage. This
includes households where a spouse is temporarily absent. This also
applies when determining the number of persons in a household.

Farm Work:

Includes all work on farms, where the claimant did any work for pay or
profit, or worked without pay for 15 hours or more on a family farm.

Full-time Work: Includes those who:

INA:

1. Had a full-time job or business and ordinarily worked 35 hours or
more a week;

2.

Worked without pay either in a family business or on a family farm
for 35 hours or more a week;

3. Had a full-time job or business, but wore not looking for work but
were temporarily ill, on vacation, engaged in a labor dispute, off
because of bad weather, or temporarily taking time off for some other
reason;

4. Were in the Armed Forces.

Information not available.

Industrial Classification:

The industry to which a claimant is assigned is that of one of his base period employers. Employers are classified according to procedures and definitions presented in the Standard Industrial Classification adopted and published by the U.S. Bureau of the Budget.

Labor Force:

The labor force consists of all persons employed, unemployed, or involved in a labor-management dispute.

A person is here reported to be out of labor force at times when

he cannot be classified as working full time or part time, as unemployed, or as not working because of a labor dispute.

Labor Market Area:

A geographical area that corresponds with the definition of a standard
metropolitan statistical area as adopted by the Bureau of the Budget.

Lag Period:

The period of time after the end of the base period of a claim and before the date the claim was filed. Lag period earnings are those earned during this period.

Marital Status:

For the purposes of this study, claimants married and living with spouse were placed in one category. All others, including single, separated, and divorced claimants, were placed in the "other" category.

Most Recent Employer:

The last employer for whom a claimant worked for wages prior to filing
the present claim.

New Claim:

An application for determination of eligibility for benefits, weekly
benefit amount, and award, which certifies to the beginning of a first
period of unemployment within a benefit year, or the continuance of a
period of unemployment into a new benefit year.

Occupational Classification:

Claimants are assigned an occupational code during an interview with trained personnel of the Employment Service in accordance with procedures and definitions presented in the Dictionary of Occupational Titles, which was prepared by the United States Employment Service.

Out-of-state Residence:

Excludes those who were out of the State on temporary visits and vacations, during which they were still attached to the California labor force.

Present Earnings Provisions of Unemployment Insurance Code:

To be eligible for benefits a claimant must have earned at least $600 in his base period; if he earned less than $750 in his base period no more than 75 percent of his earnings can be in any one of the four calendar quarters; if he had a prior benefit year, he must have earned qualifying wages since the first day of that prior benefit year.

These provisions were changed by the 1965 Legislature.

Racial Characteristica:

Local Office personnel assign a racial code to claimants by visual
observation, according to one of the following designations:

1. White, other than Mexican-American.

2. Negro.

3.

4.

Mexican-American.

Other non-white. Code 4 is used for Orientals, Filipinos or others
not immediately recognizable to the interviewer as belonging to a
specific race.

5. Unknown. Code 5 is used only where visual observation cannot be made.

Support of Family:

1.

2.

A claimant is here reported as providing major support if he is
customarily either the sole or major support (over half) of his
family unit.

A claimant is reported to provide consistent and substantial support
if he contributes one-fourth to one-half of the family's annual
income.

3. Claimants providing less than 25 percent or none of the family income are classified as "other".

2. Was waiting to be called back to a job from which he was laid off,

3.

4.

or

Was waiting to report to a new job scheduled to start within 30 days,

or

Would have been looking for work except that he believed no work was available in his line of work or in the community.

Unemployment Insurance Benefits Paid:

The sum of all benefits received for unemployment during the 36 months preceding the filing of the present claim, whether regular or extended duration benefits, and whether paid under Federal programs or State programs.

Valid Claim:

A new claim with base period earnings sufficient to meet specified
eligibility requirements.

Weekly Benefit Amount:

The sum authorized to be paid each week to a fully unemployed individual
who has filed a valid new claim and meets all eligibility requirements
each week. For valid new claims with an effective date on or after
September 20, 1963, the minimum weekly benefit is $25 and the maximum,
$55.

Workmen's Compensation:

Compensation paid under the California program to workers suffering a disease or injury that is work-connected.

Self Support:

The claimant's answer to the question on self-support was accepted.