Attorneys for the maritime worker
since 1970

August 2016

Unemployment Compensation Benefits PDF

 

This month we are continuing our discussion of California benefits for those that work for APL, in light of the fact that APL no longer has offices in California. Because they are now an out of state company, they no longer pay into benefit programs in California, and the wages you earn working for them may not count toward California benefit programs either. The result is that you may either be denied benefits entirely or receive only a nominal amount from their home state.

Question From The Bridge

I got off an APL ship in Oakland and applied for unemployment in California, the same as I always do when I’m in between ships. I live in Oakland and have always shipped out here. I’ve never had a problem but this time they denied me, saying I had no eligible wages even though I worked for 9 months. What gives?
Greg W. Oakland, CA
.

Answer:
Greg,
What gives is that APL has relocated to Arizona, so the time you worked for them may not count towards your California unemployment benefits. One option is to file in Arizona. Be aware Arizona is not as generous as California and you will only get approximately half of what you could get in California. Another option is to appeal the decision. The process is very simple. The factors that work in your favor are that you are a California resident and that you caught the ship in Oakland.

Temporary Address Change

We have relocated to San Francisco while our new Oakland space undergoes renovation from fire damage. We have offices on both sides of the Bay to serve you! Look for our Oakland opening sometime in late spring. In the meantime, please contact us at

The Law Offices of Cavin and Marks, Jr.
535 Pacific Avenue, Suite 100
San Francisco, CA 94133

Our phone and fax remain the same
Ph: 510-291-4743
www.sealawyer.com.

About Our Law Firm

For more than four decades, merchant mariners, longshoremen, fishermen and harbor workers plying their trades at sea, on the docks, on our U.S. coastal waters and inland waterways have turned to the maritime law firm of Law Offices of Cavin and Marks, Jr. & Associates in Oakland. Today, we are proud to be recognized as one of the preeminent maritime law firms serving injured marine workers nationwide, as well as one of the most successful personal injury litigation firms serving victims of negligence in the San Francisco Bay Area and throughout the West Coast.

Team Approach To Every Personal Injury And Jones Act Claim

When you retain Law Offices of Cavin and Marks, Jr. & Associates for a Jones Act injury claim; or personal injury claim, you don’t get just one attorney, you get our entire team of dedicated professionals. Our attorneys offer more than 150 combined years of courtroom and negotiated claims settlement experience. We will represent your interests with unwavering dedication, speed and expertise.