Introduced By

U.S. Senator Michael Bennet, along with U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-R.I.) and U.S. Representative Don Beyer (D-Va.)

 

Overview

This legislation states that workers will continue to receive the pandemic benefits laid out in the CARES Act until at least 30 days after the Pandemic Emergency Declarations are lifted (called the period of Extreme Social Distancing).

• A worker who exhausts their traditional unemployment compensation benefits (funded by the state) will be able to receive additional unemployment benefits fully financed by the federal government without limit until 26 weeks after the end of extreme social distancing.

• A worker receiving PUA payments will also not face limits on the number of weeks they can draw benefits until 26 weeks after the end of the Public Health Emergency.

• Workers receiving the FPUC $600 will continue to receive it until 30 days after the end of the president’s emergency declaration, after which it will begin to phase down over 13 weeks. 

Workers in states with extraordinary unemployment or elevated levels of unemployment would be eligible for additional benefits on top of regular benefits based on the 3-month average of the state’s unemployment rate. 

The bill would also fix the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program to cover many groups of workers that it currently excludes, including jobseekers, students, immigrants, high risk workers and their families.

​

For the full bill draft, click here.

 

ExtendPUA.org Response

Our concern with the bill?  Only that Trump will end the Emergency Declaration just to stop people from getting UI and these benefits earlier than he should.