On April 28, the California Employment Development Department (EDD) issued a news release announcing its new federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program. The news release can be found here: https://edd.ca.gov/About_EDD/pdf/news-20-14.pdf.
The PUA provides financial support to business owners, self-employed, independent contractors, gig workers, and others who are not usually eligible for regular state Unemployment Insurance benefits. Those individuals are able to apply for PUA here: https://www.edd.ca.gov/about_edd/coronavirus-2019/pandemic-unemployment-assistance/faqs.htm.
The EDD has also issued guidance on the PUA, which can be found here: https://www.edd.ca.gov/about_edd/coronavirus-2019/pandemic-unemployment-assistance.htm.
