Economic Inequality

California has more than 35,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 but understanding precisely who has been tested and treated remains shrouded in mystery — and is key to ensuring equal access, according to advocacy groups seeking more transparency from the Newsom administration. The American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California wrote Gov. Gavin Newsom earlier this month […]

Californians with consumer debt could see their stimulus checks garnished by collectors. Advocates want the state to act but they're still waiting for a response.

Community health clinics that serve some of the region’s most vulnerable residents are struggling with how to keep their doors open while patient visits plummet during the coronavirus shelter-in-place mandate. Statewide, patient visits are down by roughly half across California’s network of community clinics and health centers, leading to tens of millions in lost revenue […]

The Trump administration is considering cutting the pay of guest visa farmworkers during the coronavirus pandemic to help the farm industry. But California growers aren’t thrilled: They say it won’t help them much with their financial crisis. And they worry that it might even hurt them by creating uncertainty for their essential employees, prompting them […]

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Hector had a stable job as a cook at an Italian restaurant in Oakland. Suddenly, in mid-March, about a dozen workers were laid off, including him. “There was a low clientele and the restaurant wasn’t doing well,” said Hector, who didn’t want to provide his last name due to his undocumented […]

Last week, Isabel Solorio turned away five families from the Lanare food bank serving farmworkers in rural Fresno County. There just wasn’t enough food to feed the 215 families who showed up. It was twice the number of families that needed food a week earlier, she said. But that same week, on a farm just […]

When Jesus Francisco Meza Uriarte and Dian Alejandro Bienazul Atondo step into the van that will take them to a spinach field in Salinas each morning, it stinks of bleach. The van’s been sanitized between rides to kill any lingering bits of the COVID-19 virus. They ride to work, sitting at least six feet apart, […]

California unemployment applications can only be filed in English or Spanish, leaving a challenge for many residents who speak other languages. Many are new filers who do not understand the application process, lack internet and computer access. Traditional support groups such as nonprofits are also unable to provide in-person help.

Several cases of coronavirus have cropped up among California's homeless population. Now, Fresno County is reporting its first case. That homeless individual who tested positive is being quarantined in a hotel.

As millions of Americans lose jobs, shifts and other sources of income during the coronavirus health crisis, financial experts worry that people will be preyed upon by loan sharks who stand to profit. “We saw this during the foreclosure crisis, where people were in distress and scammers took advantage to promise to help people connect […]