The Omicron variant of COVID-19 is spreading rapidly. New COVID cases during the last week of December hit a record seven-day average of 265,000 cases, higher than the previous record of 252,000 cases.
In a very positive sign for the labor market, for the week ending Dec. 25, unemployment applications decreased to 198,000, according to the Labor Department. This is also an 8,000 decrease from the.
Typically, workers who quit their jobs or get fired for cause in many states are ineligible to receive state unemployment benefits. But five states have determined that if employees lose their jobs.
What could the pandemic relief bill mean for those collecting unemployment?
Unemployment extended? By Chasity Maxie | March 9, 2021 at 7:44 PM CST - Updated March 9 at 7:44 PM
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - The $1.9 trillion pandemic relief bill now heads back to the House of Representatives. It’s the final stop for approval before it lands on President Joe Biden’s desk.
If the American Rescue Plan is approved, that would mean two temporary federal programs would be extended until September.
The extended benefits would continue through the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program, or PUA, and the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation program, or PEUC.
“If you’re already receiving benefits, assuming that you remain unemployed and remain eligible for the programs, then you will be able to continue to receive those benefits through September. If you were to file in the future, say you get laid off in the next couple of weeks, again, you would also be eligible to fil