Staying Fit
Can I get unemployment benefits because I lost my job due to the coronavirus?
In most cases, if you lost your job as a result of the shutdowns related to the pandemic, you may be eligible for unemployment benefits. In particular, recent federal law has given states flexibility to offer unemployment benefits to workers when:
- an employer temporarily ceases operations due to COVID-19.
- they are quarantined but expect to return to the job after the quarantine ends.
- they leave a job because of the risk of exposure or infection or to care for a family member.
Because of the economic crisis that the pandemic has caused, the federal government has also raised the amount of money you can receive in benefits. You can now get an additional $300 per week, on top of the typical state benefit you would receive. This additional $300 increase is set to expire on Sept. 6, 2021. What's more, under the recent federal COVID response bill, you can receive unemployment benefits for up to 79 weeks through the various relief programs the federal government has created.
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Because of the coronavirus stimulus legislation, gig workers and the self-employed are also eligible for these unemployment benefits. The provision that makes both of these categories of workers eligible for benefits is scheduled to expire on Sept. 6, 2021.
In general, unemployment benefits are meant as a way for people who are temporarily out of work, through no fault of their own, to support themselves while they look for a job. If you weren't fired for cause or didn't quit, you would meet the basic requirement for eligibility for unemployment benefits. But you still need to meet certain standards set by your state, such as the length of time you held the job and/or an income minimum.
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Legislation also gives states more funding for unemployment benefits