Representative Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) alongside Reps. Peter Meijer (MI-03) and Abigail Spanberger (VA-07) introduced the Strengthening Unemployment Programs to Provide Opportunities for Recovery and Training (SUPPORT) for New Workers Act. This unemployment insurance adjustment legislation helps unemployed Americans return to work by ensuring that they don’t lose income when they take a new job, while also continuing to provide critical assistance to millions of people who can’t find work.
The SUPPORT for New Workers Act creates the Newly Employed Worker Allowance, which will provide individuals who have become employed after previously receiving unemployment insurance with weekly payments of $180 (60% of their previous $300/week Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation benefit) from the time they become employed until the expiration of FPUC on September 6, 2021 (up to a maximum of nine weeks).
Individuals are eligible for these payments if they become employed on or after the date that this legislation is enacted. States will begin providing payments to eligible individuals immediately after they become employed.
This legislation does not change the benefits that are available to unemployed workers. They will continue to receive state and federal benefits as currently exist, but under this legislation would now be eligible for the Newly Employed Worker Allowance if they gain employment.
“The expansion of employment insurance during the darkest days of the pandemic was critical to keeping millions of families out of poverty and sustaining our economy,” said Rep. Sherrill. “Now, as we continue vaccination efforts and look towards fully reopening, we need to evolve our approach to reflect the changing economy. I have conducted small business walks across NJ-11 and I’ve heard about the difficulty of finding employees while many are still struggling with childcare issues and barriers to reentering the workforce. I’ve heard that too many people are having to make a choice between going back to work or keeping needed benefits. In order to help reopen businesses and speed up our economic recovery, we can tweak our approach while also supporting the workers who continue to face challenges to returning to work related to the pandemic. This legislation will help us do both.”
The bill was recently endorsed by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, National Retail Federation, New Jersey Chamber of Commerce, NJBIA, Virginia Chamber of Commerce, Michigan Chamber of Commerce, Morris County (NJ) Chamber of Commerce, Sussex County (NJ) Chamber of Commerce, Livingston Area (NJ) Chamber of Commerce, and Third Way.
