Expanding Unemployment Insurance and Benefits
- The third federal stimulus bill would expand unemployment benefits to include:
- Workers caring for loved ones: workers who have an unanticipated family care responsibility due to school closures, or those who need to care for loved ones who become ill from COVID-19
- Sick workers: workers who are sick, quarantined, or unable to work due to the COVID-19 illness, and who don’t have access to paid leave options
- First responders: individuals working in the public health community who become ill after exposure to a patient with COVID-19 and who do not have access to paid family and medical leave or are laid off
- Self-employed workers: including independent contractors, small business owners, and freelancers who normally would not be eligible for unemployment
- The bill extends benefits to an additional 13 weeks for workers who need it.
- This bill increases the amount of unemployment benefits by $600 for four months, through July 2020.
Both federal funded unemployment assistance and state unemployment insurance benefits will be administered by the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency.
You can file for unemployment benefits here.
No in-person applications will be accepted at state unemployment offices, which are closed to the public.
Direct Federal Payments to Individuals
This comes in the form of a one-time tax rebate check of $1,200 per individual and $500 per child. The full rebate amount is available for those with incomes at or below $75,000 for individuals, $112,500 for head of household, and $150,000 for married couples. Eligibility for checks from the IRS will based on 2018 and 2019 returns and available in two to three weeks.
You do not have to apply to receive a payment. If the IRS already has your bank information the money will be directly deposited into your account, otherwise you will receive a check in the mail.
View this fact sheet provided by Michigan Congressman Fred Upton for more information on the cash payments.
For more information specific to the state of Michigan, visit www.michigan.gov/coronavirus. Stay up-to-date on the latest guidance from the state with specific information and resources for residents and communities, health care providers, child care, and workers.
If you have health questions about the coronavirus call the Michigan COVID-19 hotline at 1-888-535-6136.
Information taken from the following resources:
Information on unemployment:
https://www.michigan.gov/leo/0,5863,7-336-78421_97241_98585_98657-522595–,00.html
Fact Sheet on Federal Coronavirus Stimulus Bill:
https://upton.house.gov/uploadedfiles/familiesindividuals_coronavirus1pager.pdf
