Gig workers sue Oregon Employment Department
Lawsuit seeks to compel agency to continue federal benefits or be more specific about denials.
Four workers have gone to federal court to compel the Oregon Employment Department to continue to pay federal benefits to self-employed and gig workers or offer more specific reasons for agency denials based on more detailed proof of employment.
The four workers, represented by the Northwest Workers Justice Project, filed the lawsuit Wednesday, May 19, in U.S. District Court in Portland. The parties made a good faith effort through telephone conferences to resolve the dispute and have been unable to do so, according to the complaint.
Congress starts work on Biden s call for six-month renewal through end of September.
As Congress starts work on President Joe Biden s proposals to extend pandemic unemployment benefits, the acting director of the Oregon Employment Department says straightforward extensions that are on the table will be easier to manage.
But David Gerstenfeld also said he and counterpart agencies in other states would like as much lead time as possible to prepare for any changes and avoid interruptions in benefit payments. States pay benefits but the U.S. Department of Labor oversees them.
The latest extensions, which Congress approved at the end of December, are scheduled to end March 13.