Former Councilman Collects Unemployment Benefits, Angers City Officials

December 1, 2009

Rosemead, California - Former City Councilman John Nunez has been collecting $450 unemployment benefits every week, or more than $11,000 since he has lost his reelection bid in March, City Manager Jeff Allred said.

Allred said Nunez has served on the council for four years before he lost from the last election.

In response to the controversy, Nunez said he deserved to receive unemployment checks since he has no job. Before he was elected from public office, he was a life insurance salesman.

“I am no longer a public official so they shouldn’t be looking at my personal finances”, Nunez added.

Meanwhile, some public officials, including the city mayor, said Nunez’s unemployment payments are burden on taxpayers especially when California is facing budget deficit caused by recession and weak labor market.

In its website, the California Employment Development Department (EDD), the agency that approves the applications for unemployment benefits, said the assistance “only goes to workers who are not at-fault in losing their jobs.”

In the case of Nunez, Rosemead Mayor Maggie Clark said the councilman lost his public post as the people did not vote for him.

“Taxpayers have voted him out, now they are paying his [Nunez] unemployment checks”, Clark said.

Unemployment benefits are paid by employers, unlike Social Security benefits and disability insurance which are paid by workers.