Strengthening Unemployment Insurance for Coronavirus Impacted Workers and Students Act

To amend title II of division A of the CARES Act to modify certain provisions related to unemployment compensation, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Strengthening Unemployment Insurance for Coronavirus Impacted Workers and Students Act 2. Expansion of pandemic unemployment assistance (a) In general Section 2102(b) of the CARES Act ( Public Law 116–136 (b) Assistance for unemployment as a result of COVID–19 Subject to subsection (c), the Secretary shall provide pandemic unemployment assistance— (1) to any covered individual while such individual is unemployed, partially unemployed, or unable to work for the weeks of such unemployment with respect to which the individual is not entitled to any other unemployment compensation (as that term is defined in section 85(b) of title 26, United States Code) or waiting period credit; and (2) to any other individual for weeks with respect to which the individual would be a covered individual but for the individual’s lack of a recent attachment to the labor force. . (b) Amount of assistance for new job entrants (1) In general Section 2102(d) of such Act is amended— (A) in paragraph (1), by striking The assistance authorized under subsection (b) Except as provided in paragraph (2), the assistance authorized under subsection (b)(1) (B) by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (4); and (C) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following: (3) Amount of assistance for new job entrants The assistance authorized under subsection (b)(2) for an individual described in such subsection for a week shall be an amount equal to $300. . (2) Conforming amendment Section 2102(d)(2) of such Act is amended by striking subsection (b) subsection (b)(1) (c) Relationship with Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation Section 2104(i)(2)(C) of such Act is amended by striking section 2102 section 2102 (other than assistance provided under subsection (b)(2) of such section) 3. Federal Pandemic Short-Time Compensation Section 2104(b) of the CARES Act ( Public Law 116–136 (1) by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph (3); and (2) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following: (2) Federal Pandemic Short-Time Compensation Any agreement under this section shall provide that, in the case of a State that provides under the State law for the payment of short-time compensation under a short-time compensation program (as defined in section 3306(v) Federal Pandemic Short-Time Compensation . 4. Extension of Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation Section 2104(e) of the CARES Act ( Public Law 116–136 (e) Applicability (1) In general An agreement entered into under this section shall apply to weeks of unemployment— (A) beginning on or after March 13, 2020; and (B) ending on or before January 1, 2021. (2) Transition rule for individuals remaining entitled to regular compensation as of January 1, 2021 In the case of any individual who, as of the date specified in paragraph (1)(B), has not yet exhausted all rights to regular compensation under the State law of a State with respect to a benefit year that began before such date (or short-time compensation in the case of a State described in subsection (b)(1)(B)), Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation or Federal Pandemic Short-Time Compensation (as the case may be) shall continue to be payable to such individual for any week beginning on or after such date for which the individual is otherwise eligible for regular compensation (or short-time compensation) with respect to such benefit year. (3) Termination Notwithstanding any other provision of this subsection, no Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation or Federal Pandemic Short-Time Compensation shall be payable for any week beginning after June 30, 2021. . 5. Disregard of certain compensation for means-tested programs (a) Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation Section 2104(h) of the CARES Act ( Public Law 116–136 (h) Payment To be disregarded for purposes of all Federal and Federally assisted programs A Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation or Federal Pandemic Short-Time Compensation payment shall not be regarded as income and shall not be regarded as a resource for the month of receipt and the following 9 months, for purposes of determining the eligibility of the recipient (or the recipient’s spouse or family) for benefits or assistance, or the amount or extent of benefits or assistance, under any Federal program or under any State or local program financed in whole or in part with Federal funds. . (b) Enhanced benefits under the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act Section 2(a)(5) of the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act ( 45 U.S.C. 352(a)(5) (C) A recovery benefit payable under subparagraph (A) shall not be regarded as income and shall not be regarded as a resource for the month of receipt and the following 9 months, for purposes of determining the eligibility of the recipient (or the recipient’s spouse or family) for benefits or assistance, or the amount or extent of benefits or assistance, under any Federal program or under any State or local program financed in whole or in part with Federal funds. . 6. Extension of full Federal funding of extended unemployment compensation Section 4105 of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act ( Public Law 116–127 December 31, 2020 June 30, 2021

Summary: Strengthening Unemployment Insurance for Coronavirus Impacted Workers and Students Act This bill expands eligibility for pandemic unemployment assistance to include individuals with no recent attachment to the workforce (e.g., students), extends the availability of federal pandemic unemployment compensation, and provides federal pandemic unemployment compensation to individuals working reduced hours.