WASHINGTON, D.C., USA — The mission of the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) is to oversee the welfare of the wage earners, those seeking jobs and retirees of the U.S. The DOL also seeks to improve working conditions, provide opportunities for employment and assure work-related benefits and rights, according to their website.
In response to President Donald J. Trump's swift action to protect the American workforce from the ramifications of COVID-19, the US Department of Labor announced guidelines that states have in directing their unemployment insurance (UI) to assist Americans affected by the outbreak.
The federal law allows flexibility for states to amend their UI benefits to provide assistance for multiple scenarios relating to COVID-19. The federal law allows states to pay benefits if an employer temporarily closes due to COVID-19. It allows states to pay benefits if a person is quarantined and is expected to return to work after the quarantine is over. Benefits may be paid to an individual who leaves employment due to risk of exposure or infection or in the event that they need to care for a family member. The federal law states that a person does not need to quit their job in order to receive benefits due to the impact of COVID-19.
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The top priority is the safety, security, and health of American people. For those disrupted by the coronavirus, the guidelines issued allow employers to apply insurance benefits to American's who have been impacted by the outbreak. These guidelines will ease the financial burdens for those dealing with COVID-19.
If a person is on paid sick leave or paid family leave and is still receiving pay, they are not considered to be unemployed. Therefore, that person would be ineligible for unemployment insurance.
For more information about the COVID-19, click here.
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