State Unemployment Claims Soar
(KFOR NEWS March 27, 2020) Nebraska’s initial claims for unemployment skyrocketed with the nation’s last week amid the coronavirus pandemic. Filings rose to nearly 16,000 from a little less than 800 the week before. Nebraska Department of Labor (NDOL) Commissioner, John H. Albin, says the rise in claims is due to the COVID-19 emergency.
Any workers in a non-paid status due to COVID-19 may file a claim for unemployment insurance benefits. Currently, the maximum weekly benefit amount is $440 per week. Unemployment claims in Nebraska are filed online at NEworks.nebraska.gov. From March 22nd through May 2nd, NDOL is waiving the requirement to search for work to be eligible for benefits. Additionally, NDOL is waiving the requirement that applicants serve an unpaid waiting week once their eligibility has been determined.
Commissioner Albin also highlighted the Short-Term Compensation program. It helps to prevent layoffs by allowing employers to uniformly reduce their affected teammates’ hours by 10-60%. These teammates are then eligible to receive a prorated unemployment benefit based on their reduction in hours. For more information, visit this page: dol.nebraska.gov/stc.
