What will happen to my current unemployment and unemployment due to the Coronavirus?
From the March 27, 2020 through July 31, 2020, all regular Unemployment and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance claimants will receive the Nebraska percentage payment (50% of the average week of your best quarter of earnings in the last year) plus an additional $600 per week in compensation.
What will happen if my unemployment benefits are about to expire?
The CARES Act temporarily supplements unemployment benefits and extends them by an additional 13 weeks. Nebraska provides 26 weeks of unemployment benefits, which means you could receive up to 39 weeks of unemployment benefits.
Do I need to be looking for a job to receive unemployment?
No, not in Nebraska. Governor Pete Ricketts has suspended the requirement to actively search for work to qualify for unemployment benefits during the Coronavirus pandemic.
Will the additional benefits impact my income for other government provided benefits?
The additional weekly payments of $600 and the added weeks of unemployment are not considered income for purposes of eligibility for either Medicaid or Child Health Insurance Policies (CHIP).
How long will I need to wait to receive unemployment benefits?
There is no waiting period. You are eligible to receive unemployment immediately. Governor Ricketts has waived the one week waiting period during the Coronavirus pandemic.
What if I didn’t qualify for unemployment benefits because I’m self-employed, or my unemployment benefits have been exhausted?
The CARES Act created Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) to provide emergency unemployment assistance to the self-employed or workers whose benefits have been exhausted. Up to 39 weeks of benefits are available immediately to the self-employed, including independent contractors, freelancers, workers seeking part-time work, and workers with too short a work history to qualify for state unemployment benefits. The benefit is $600 per week, plus 50% of the average income from the previous year’s highest quarterly income (up to $440 per week).
What if my work hours have been reduced, but I am still working?
Short-time compensation (STC) programs, also known as work-sharing, help employers avoid layoffs by putting workers on part-time schedules with partial unemployment benefits to help make up for some of the lost income. This means if your hours have been reduced to 10-60% of your usual hours in Nebraska, you qualify to receive compensation through the state.
Our Experienced Nebraska Bankruptcy Attorneys Are Here To Help
If you have questions about how the Coronavirus pandemic may impact your bankruptcy, finances or unemployment benefits contact the experienced bankruptcy attorneys at Steffens Law Accident Injury Lawyers at 308-872-8327, or fill out our form to contact us today.