Title: What You Need To Know About Expanded Unemployment Benefits For COVID-19
Headings: What You Need To Know About Expanded Unemployment Benefits For COVID-19
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What You Need To Know About Expanded Unemployment Benefits For COVID-19
Workers will be eligible for a $600 weekly boost on top of regular state unemployment benefits
Gig workers, freelancers, self-employed are eligible
Workers can get company benefits and UI
Generous sick pay and family leave might be available first
The 7-day waiting period to receive benefits could be waived, along with other eligibility requirements
Unemployment application systems are overwhelmed—but keep trying

Content: The $2 trillion stimulus package agreed on by negotiators for the White House and leaders of both parties in Congress in the early hours of Wednesday includes a big expansion of both the length and amount of unemployment insurance (UI) available. The deal even expands UI to cover gig workers, independent contractors and individuals who are self-employed. If you can’t work or have had your hours cut because of COVID-19, here’s what you need to know now. We’ll update this post as more details of the stimulus and how it will be implemented become available. Workers will be eligible for a $600 weekly boost on top of regular state unemployment benefits
The stimulus bill is giving a federally funded weekly pay boost to those who are unemployed. In addition to regular state unemployment insurance, individuals will receive an additional $600 per week for up to four months. In total, unemployed workers will receive 39 weeks of unemployment benefits, which will carry them through to the end of 2020. State unemployment benefits vary from state to state but averaged $385 a week nationwide in January. Adding the $600 boost included in the stimulus package would bring an average weekly unemployment check to $985, which exceeds the median weekly earnings of $936 in the fourth quarter. ( Women had median weekly earnings of $843;