Today, Governor Baker signed S.2618, An Act providing additional support to those affected by the novel coronavirus through the unemployment insurance system. Of importance this bill will do three things:
- Expand the maximum allowable claims period from 26 weeks to 30 weeks for any week that exceeds 100,000 claims;
- For any individual separated from employment as a result of COVID-19, or the effects of the governor’s March 10, 2020 state of emergency declaration, benefits paid to that individual shall not be charged to the account of any employer nor included in the calculation of an employer’s unemployment experience rate (including any benefits paid for with federal funds);
- Ensure that UI dependency benefits shall not be subject to the current 50% limit on an individual’s weekly benefit amount.
- Includes a 120-day delay in claim payments owed by nonprofits to the Commonwealth’s Unemployment Insurance trust.
You can read the final text of the bill here.