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Thursday, 28 March 2024

Massachusetts needs federal guidance before implementing unemployment changes, says Gov. Baker

Credit: WCVB
Duration: 02:57s 0 shares 1 views

Massachusetts needs federal guidance before implementing unemployment changes, says Gov. Baker
Massachusetts needs federal guidance before implementing unemployment changes, says Gov. Baker

"States are still waiting on guidance from the federal government on how to implement and start distributing these funds," Baker said.

WITH RESPECT TO UNEMPLOYMENTBENEFITS.I THINK MOST PEOPLE KNOW THATLAST WEEK, CONGRESS PASSED ASUBSTANTIAL FEDERAL RELIEFPACKAGE THAT INCLUDESSIGNIFICANT RESOURCES FORUNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE.THERE IS A LOT OF GOOD NEWSHERE.PERHAPS, AMONG THE MOSTIMPORTANT GOOD NEWS IS THEFEDERAL LEGISLATION WILL PROVIDEUNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION TOINDIVIDUALS WHO DO NOT CURRENTLYPARTICIPATE IN T UNEMPLOYMENTASSURANCE SYSTEM AND THEREFORE,ARE NOT COVERED UNDER EXISTINGFEDERAL UNEMPLOYMENT LAW.THIS INCLUDES INDIVIDUALS WHOARE SELF-EMPLOYED, THOSE WHO DOCONTRACT WORK, AND THOSE WHO GETPAID USING WHAT IS CALLED THE1099.THOSE INDIVIDUALS, IN ADDITIONTO THAT, INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVERECENTLY EXHAUSTED THEIR WEEKSOF UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS ANDINDIVIDUALS WHO DO NOT HAVESUFFICIE EARNINGS OVER THELAST YEAR TO QUALIFY FOR STATEUNEMPLOYMENT, WOULD ALSO BEELIGIBLE FOR THIS PROGRAM.THE CARES ACT ALSO EXTENDS THENUMBER OF AVAILABLE WEEKS OFBENEFITS FOR ALL CLAIMANTS ANDSUPPORTS CLAIMANTS WEEKLYBENEFIT AMOUNT BY $600 FOR THENEXT FOUR MONTHS.THE NOT SO GOOD NEWS IS THATSTATES ARE STILL WAITING ONGUIDANCE FROM THE FEDERALGOVERNMENT ON HOW TO IMPLEMENTAND START DISTRIBUTING THESEFUNDS.WE EXPECT THIS GUIDANCE TODETAIL APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS,BUSINESS RULES, ELIGIBILITYDETERMINATIONS, EXCEPTIONS ANDTECHNICAL REQUIREMENTASSUMING, ASSURING THAT THISPROGRAM GETS OFF TO A GOODSTART.WE CONTINUE TO HAVE ACTIVECONVERSATIONS WITH OUR FEDERALPARTNERS.PEOPLE ARE ON THE PHONE ALLWEEKEND WITH THEM, BUT THESEBENEFITS ARE NOT AVAILABLE TO BEAPPLIED FOR TODAY.RIGHT NOW, IT IS IMPORTANT THATMASSACHUSETTS RESIDENTS SEEKINGTHESE NEW FEDERAL BENEFITS DON’TAPPLY FOR THE STATE’S CURRENTUNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE PLATFORM.UNTIL THE PROGRAM IS ACTUALLYIMPLEMENTED UNDER THE FEDERALGUIDANCE, THOSE RESOURCES WILLNOT BE AVAILABLE ON THE RULESWILL NOT BE IN PLACEDETERMINE ELIGIBILITY OR HOWMUCH PEOPLE GET ON EACH OF THEIRCHECKS.IF YOU ATTEMPT TO APPLY FOR THEMNOW, YOU WON’T BE ABLE TO GETTHROUGH THE SYSTEM BECAUSE THESYSTEM WON’T ACTUALLY HAVE YOURNAME AND IT.IT MAY CREATE RISK AND TRAFFICJAM FOR OTHERS WHO DO QUALIFY,WHO DO PARTICIPATE IN THEEXISTING UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCESYSTEM AND AREN’T ABLE TO ACCESSEXISTING UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS.EVERYBODY COULD REALLY HELP USON THIS ONE AND THE HUNDREDS OFPEOPLE CURRENTLY WORKING TOPROCESS CLAIMS, ANSWER PHONECALLS AND DEAL WITH QUESTIONSAND CONCERNS.IF PEOPLE WHO ARE ELIGIBLE UNDERTHE NEW RULES CAN WAIT TO APPLYFOR THE NEW FEDERAL RESOURCESONCE WE ACTUALLY GET THEINFORMATION FROM THE FEDS ABOUTHOW TO IMPLEMENT THE PROGRAM.AND WE CAN THEN MAKE THEINFORMATION AVAILABLE TO OLIVIA.-- ALL OF YOU.THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF LABORAND WORKFORCE DEVELOP

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