In March, Erica Chan realized a lot of her friends in the freelance film world would soon need to apply for Unemployment Insurance. As a filmmaker, she encourages others in her field to sign up for Unemployment Insurance because of the inconsistent nature of film work.
“I posted on my personal page that any of my friends could ask me questions, if they needed help,” said Chan.
Then on March 19, she created a Facebook group: Unofficial CA unemployment help Public Group.
“Some started commenting about working in multiple states and being a faxed applicant. I had no answers. So I decided through the collective knowledge of the internet, I could potentially find other people and we could all help each other,” Chan said.
The group now has over 37,000 members on Facebook. On Friday, they launched a new website, FAQ.CA.UI, to provide an easier way to navigate questions, find answers and offer support.