New rules, relief will help Washington’ workers, businesses deal with coronavirus
With the coronavirus outbreak expected to have an impact on the state’s job market, Washington unveiled new rules to help businesses and workers adjust.
The Employment Security Department has listed several new steps on its website directly related to COVID-19. The new rules are meant to help people who end up in isolation or quarantine because of the virus, said ESD Commissioner Suzi LeVine in a news release. She also noted the new rules provide more leniency for workers when it comes to mandatory appointments, as well as leniency to employers who file tax reports late because of the virus.
Here are some examples of the most common scenarios:
▪ Workers may receive unemployment benefits and employers may get relief if a company needs to temporarily shut down operations. This temporary closure could be because a worker gets sick and others need to be isolated or quarantined.
▪ If isolated or quarantined, workers can receive unemployment benefits and work search requirements can be waived.
▪ If a worker falls seriously ill and is forced to quit, they cannot collect unemployment benefits. However, they may be eligible once they recover and are able to work.
The federal government is also expected to offer some job assistance. The Coronavirus Worker Relief Act was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday, March 12, with companion bills introduced in the U.S. Senate.
Washington state’s labor market was in very good shape prior to the coronavirus outbreak. In January the state unemployment rate fell to a record low, at 3.9%. Initial unemployment claims also remained relatively low across the state. Washington had 6,548 initial jobless claims during the week of Feb. 24, right before the outbreak began to surface.
Jobless claims are expected to quickly rise as businesses cut back on staffing to adjust to “social distancing,” event cancellations and other steps being taken to try and lessen the impact of the virus in communities.
This story was originally published March 12, 2020 at 12:27 PM.
