Enhanced Unemployment

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A major part of the CARES Act is designed to help individuals who have lost their jobs or have been subject to reduced wages. This is done by supplementing the existing unemployment insurance for the various individual states.

In order to receive the increased funds, however, one must be a “covered individual”. A covered individual eligible for benefits includes anyone who provides self-certification that he or she is able and available to work, but is unemployed or partially unemployed due to any of the following:

• Has been diagnosed with COVID-19 or is experiencing symptoms and seeking a medical diagnosis
• A member of the individual’s household has been diagnosed with COVID-19
• The individual is providing care for a family member or household member who has been diagnosed with COVID-19
• The individual is the primary caregiver for a child or other person in the household who is unable to attend school or another facility as a direct result of COVID-19
• The individual is unable to reach the place of employment because of a quarantine imposed as a direct result of COVID-19
• The individual is unable to work because a health care provider has advised the individual to self-quarantine due to COVID-19 concerns
• The individual was scheduled to commence employment and does not have a job or is unable to reach the job as a direct result of COVID-19
• The individual has become the breadwinner or major support for a household because the head of household has died as a direct result of COVID-19
• The individual has to quit their job as a direct result of COVID-19
• The individual’s place of employment is closed as a direct result of COVID-19

In consideration of the impact of COVID-19 the Act extends unemployment insurance by 13 weeks and provides a four-month enhancement of benefits. Also, there are those people who do not have a sufficient employment history to justify benefits in some states. The Act accordingly makes unemployment insurance available for those with limited work history or those who have exhausted their state unemployment compensation benefits.

Individuals are not eligible for the Federal supplement if:

• they are able to work remotely
• they are receiving paid sick leave or paid family leave

In addition to California unemployment benefits a covered employee is eligible for the following enhanced benefits:

• an additional $600 per week payment to each recipient of unemployment insurance for up to four months (expires on July 31, 2020)
• benefits will be equal to the amount determined under state law, plus an additional amount of $600 per worker per week
• an additional 13 weeks of unemployment benefits to those who remain unemployed after state unemployment benefits are exhausted.
• assistance under the unemployment provisions shall not exceed 39 weeks, unless otherwise extended.

The Department of Labor stated “If an individual is eligible to receive even $1.00 of underlying (unemployment insurance) benefits for the claimed week, the individual, the individual will receive the full $600 under the program.

To read the DOL’s guidance please see https://www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/eta/eta20200410.

Individuals apply for enhanced unemployment benefits through California’s unemployment insurance website. Here is a link https://www.edd.ca.gov/unemployment/.

SEE ALSO

• Employment and Labor Introduction
• Provision of Benefits and Investigation without a Claim Form

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