,i #aafth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #ghba ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,july #bi1 #bjbj,mr4 ,beyer 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,kilmer1 ,mr4 ,peters1 ,mr4 ,heck1 ,ms4 ,wexton1 ,mr4 ,hastings1 ,ms4 ,jackson ,lee1 ,mr4 ,blumenauer1 ,mr4 ,soto1 ,mr4 ,yarmuth1 ,ms4 ,dean1 ,mr4 ,scott of ,virginia1 ,ms4 ,frankel1 ,mr4 ,ryan1 ,mrs4 ,beatty1 ,mr4 ,smith of ,washington1 ,ms4 ,judy ,chu of ,california1 ,mr4 ,kind1 ,mr4 ,huffman1 ,ms4 ,norton1 ,ms4 ,sewell of ,alabama1 ,miss ,rice of ,new ,york1 ,mr4 ,panetta1 ,ms4 ,sherrill1 ,ms4 ,wasserman ,schultz1 ,mrs4 ,fletcher1 ,ms4 ,schrier1 ,ms4 ,shalala1 ,mr4 ,himes1 ,mr4 ,morelle1 ,ms4 ,kuster of ,new ,hampshire1 ,mr4 ,meeks1 ,mr4 ,case1 ,ms4 ,del,bene1 ,mrs4 ,torres of ,california1 and ,mr4 ,schneider7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,ways and ,means ,a ,,bill ,to automatically extend and adjust enhanced unemployment assistance for the duration of the ,,covid-#ai emergency and economic crisis1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,worker ,relief and ,security ,act of #bjbj4 #b4 ,tiered expansion of ,pandemic ,unemployment ,assistance 7a7 ,in general ,section #bajb7;c7 of the ,,cares ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #ijba7;c77 is amended-- 7#a7 by amending paragraph 7#b7 to read as follows3 7#b7 ,duration of assistance ,the total number of weeks for which a covered individual may receive assistance under this section shall be equal to-- 7,a7 in the case of a covered individual who first becomes eligible for assistance under an agreement with a ,state under this section beginning with any week ending on or before ,january #ca1 #bjba1 the sum of-- 7i7 the number of weeks sufficient to provide for the payment of pandemic unemployment assistance to such individual for each week ending on or before such date with respect to which such agreement is in effect2 and 7ii7 the number of weeks1 beginning with the #ast week ending after such date1 determined with respect to such ,state for such week under paragraph 7#d72 and 7,b7 in the case of a covered individual who first becomes eligible for assistance under an agreement with a ,state under this section beginning with any week after the week ending on or before such date1 the number of weeks1 beginning with the #ast week for which the covered individual becomes so eligible1 determined with respect to such ,state for such week under paragraph 7#d74 2 and 7#b7 by adding at the end the following3 7#d7 ,weeks of assistance after ,january #bjba 7,a7 ,in general ,the number of weeks determined with respect to a ,state under this paragraph with respect to the reference week of a covered individual shall be the applicable number of weeks specified with respect to such ,state for the covered individual in the table provided in subparagraph 7,b71 except that-- 7i7 in any case in which a ,state is designated under section #baae7;a7 as a higher tier ,state for any #c-month period subsequent to the #c-month period in which the reference week of a covered individual ends1 the applicable number of weeks specified in such table with respect to a ,state designated as such a higher tier ,state shall be substituted for the number of weeks otherwise applicable for such covered individual2 and 7ii7 if for any #c-month period described in section #baae7;a7 the national unemployment rate 7as determined by the ,secretary of ,labor for the base period consisting of the most recent #ac-week period ending not less than #ad days before the beginning of such quarter7 is less than #e4e percent and has decreased for at least the last #b months of such #c-month period1 the applicable number of weeks with respect to a ,state designated under section #baae7;a7 as a ,tier ,i ,state shall be zero in any case in which the reference week of a covered individual ends in any subsequent #c-month period4 7,b7 ,tiered extensions ,the table provided in this subparagraph is as follows3 ,if the reference week of a covered individual ends in a #c-month period for which the ,state has been designated under section #baae7;a7 as a444,the applicable number of weeks for the covered individual is444,tier ,i ,state or ,tier ,,ii ,state#ac,tier ,,iii ,state#bf,tier ,,iv ,state#ci,tier ,v ,state#eb,tier ,,vi ,state#fe4 7,c7 ,reference week ,for purposes of this paragraph1 the term reference week of a covered individual means the #ast week ending after ,january #ca1 #bjba1 for which the covered individual is eligible for assistance under an agreement with a ,state under this section4 4 7b7 ,eligibility expansion 7#a7 ,in general ,section #bajb7;a77#c7 of the ,,cares ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #ijba7;a77#c77 is amended to read as follows3 7#c7 ,covered individual ,the term covered individual means an individual who is not eligible for regular compensation under ,state or ,federal law or pandemic emergency unemployment compensation under section #bajg and who-- 7,a7 7i7 has exhausted all rights to such regular compensation and pandemic emergency unemployment compensation 7within the meaning of section #bajg7;a77#c772 and 7ii7 would be eligible for regular compensation but for the exhaustion of such rights2 or 7,b7 7i7 provides self-certification that the individual-- 7,i7 is otherwise able to work and available for work within the meaning of applicable ,state law1 except the individual is unemployed1 partially unemployed1 or unable or unavailable to work because-- 7aa7 the individual has been diagnosed with ,,covid-#ai or is experiencing symptoms of ,,covid-#ai and seeking a medical diagnosis2 7bb7 a member of the individual's household has been diagnosed with ,,covid-#ai2 7cc7 the individual is providing care for a family member or a member of the individual's household who has been diagnosed with ,,covid-#ai2 7dd7 a child or other person in the household for which the individual has primary caregiving responsibility is unable to attend school1 a childcare facility1 a long-term care facility1 or related facility1 or is unable to access in-home care1 as a result of the ,,covid-#ai national emergency1 and such school1 facility1 or in-home care is required for the individual to work2 7ee7 the individual is unable to reach the place of employment because of a quarantine imposed as a result of the ,,covid-#ai national emergency2 7ff7 the individual is unable to reach the place of employment because the individual has been advised by a health care provider to self-quarantine due to concerns related to the ,,covid-#ai national emergency1 including because the individual resides with an individual at higher risk of severe illness2 7gg7 the individual was scheduled to commence employment and does not have a job or is unable to reach the job as a result of the ,,covid-#ai national emergency2 7hh7 the individual has become the breadwinner or major support for a household because the head of the household has died as a result of the ,,covid-#ai national emergency2 7ii7 the individual has to quit his or her job as a result of the ,,covid-#ai national emergency2 7jj7 the individual's place of employment is closed as a result of the ,,covid-#ai national emergency2 7kk7 the individual is otherwise unable to obtain employment as a result of the ,,covid-#ai national emergency2 or 7ll7 the individual meets any additional criteria established by the ,secretary for unemployment assistance under this section2 or 7,,ii7 is self-employed1 is seeking part-time employment1 does not have sufficient work history1 or otherwise would not qualify for regular unemployment or extended benefits under ,state or ,federal law or pandemic emergency unemployment compensation under section #bajg and meets the requirements of subclause 7,i74 ,such term does not include an individual who has the ability to telework with pay or who is receiving paid sick leave or other paid leave benefits1 regardless of whether such individual otherwise meets the requirements of subparagraph 7,b77i77,i74 4 7#b7 ,expansion of eligibility related to economic consequences of ,,covid-#ai ,section #bajb7;a77#b7 of the ,,cares ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #ijba7;a77#b77 is amended to read as follows3 7#b7 ,covid-#ai national emergency ,the term ,,covid-#ai national emergency means the public health emergency declared by the ,secretary of ,health and ,human ,services on ,january #bg1 #bjbj1 with respect to the #bjai ,novel ,coronavirus1 and its macroeconomic consequences4 4 7#c7 ,extension of eligibility to individuals without a recent attachment to the labor force ,section #bajb7;b7 of the ,,cares ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #ijba7;b77 is amended to read as follows3 7b7 ,assistance for unemployment as a result of ,,covid-#ai national emergency ,subject to subsection 7c71 the ,secretary shall provide pandemic unemployment assistance-- 7#a7 to any covered individual while such individual is unemployed1 partially unemployed1 or unable to work for the weeks of such unemployment with respect to which the individual is not entitled to any other unemployment compensation 7as that term is defined in section #he7;b7 of title #bf1 ,united ,states ,code7 or waiting period credit2 and 7#b7 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 force4 4 7#d7 ,conforming amendments ,section #bajb of the ,,cares ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #ijba7 is amended-- 7,a7 in subsection 7c77#a71 by striking ,,covid-#ai and inserting the ,,covid-#ai national emergency each place it appears2 and 7,b7 in subsection 7h77#a71 by striking ,,covid-#ai public health emergency and inserting ,,covid-#ai national emergency4 7c7 ,coordination with extended compensation 7#a7 ,in general ,section #bajb7;f7 of such ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #ijba7;f77 is amended by adding at the end the following3 7#d7 ,coordination with extended compensation ,an agreement under this section shall apply with respect to a ,state only upon a determination by the ,secretary that1 under the ,state law or other applicable rules of such ,state1 the payment of extended compensation for which an individual is otherwise eligible must be deferred until after the payment of any pandemic unemployment assistance under subsection 7b7 for which the individual is concurrently eligible4 4 7#b7 ,conforming amendment ,section #bajb7;a77#c77;,a77i7 of such ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #ijba7;a77#c77;,a77i77 is amended by striking or extended benefits each place it appears4 7d7 ,applicability ,section #bajb7;c77#a7 of such ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #ijba7;c77#a77 is amended-- 7#a7 by amending subparagraph 7,a7 to read as follows3 7,a7 for weeks of unemployment1 partial unemployment1 or inability to work caused by ,,covid-#ai beginning on or after ,january #bg1 #bjbj2 and 2 and 7#b7 in subparagraph 7,b71 by striking subject to subparagraph 7,a77ii714 #c4 ,tiered extension of ,federal ,pandemic ,unemployment ,compensation 7a7 ,in general ,section #bajd7;b7 of the ,,cares ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #ijbc7;b77 is amended-- 7#a7 in paragraph 7#a71 by striking 7,b7 an additional amount and all that follows through the end and inserting the following3 7,b7 an additional amount 7in this section referred to as ,federal ,pandemic ,unemployment ,compensation7 of-- 7i7 for weeks with respect to which such agreement is in effect ending on or before the date that is #cj days after the date on which any national emergency declared by the ,president under the ,national ,emergencies ,act 7#ej ,u4,s4,c4 #afja et seq47 relating to ,,covid-#ai 7or any extension thereof7 terminates1 including the national emergency declared on ,march #ac1 #bjbj1 and any subsequent national emergency1 #fjj2 7ii7 for the subsequent #ac weeks with respect to which such agreement is in effect ending after such date1 #dej2 7iii7 for any week with respect to which such agreement is in effect following the weeks described in clause 7ii71 the applicable dollar amount specified with respect to such ,state for such week in the table provided in paragraph 7#b71 except that-- 7,i7 if the first such week ends in the last month of a #c-month period for which a ,state has received a designation under section #baae7;a71 the applicable dollar amount for the first such week and for any subsequent weeks ending during such #c-month period shall be #dej2 and 7,,ii7 if for any #c-month period described in section #baae7;a7 the national unemployment rate 7as determined by the ,secretary of ,labor for the base period consisting of the most recent #ac-week period ending not less than #ad days before the beginning of such quarter7 is less than #e4e percent and has decreased for at least the last #b months of such #c-month period1 the applicable dollar amount with respect to a ,state designated under section #baae7;a7 as a ,tier ,i ,state1 ,tier ,,ii ,state1 or ,tier ,,iii ,state shall be #j for any week ending in any subsequent #c-month period4 ,notwithstanding clause 7i71 in any case in which a subsequent national emergency is declared by the ,president under the ,national ,emergencies ,act 7#ej ,u4,s4,c4 #afja et seq47 relating to ,,covid-#ai during the last #b months of a #c-month period for which a ,state has received a designation under section #baae7;a71 the applicable dollar amount for the first week ending on or before the date that is #cj days after the date of such declaration1 and for any subsequent weeks during such #c-month period shall be the amount determined under clause 7iii74 2 7#b7 by redesignating paragraph 7#b7 as paragraph 7#c72 and 7#c7 by inserting after paragraph 7#a7 the following3 7#b7 ,tiered compensation amounts ,the table provided in this paragraph is as follows3 ,if a week ends in a #c-month period for which a ,state has been designated under section #baae7;a7 as a444,the applicable dollar amount for such week shall be equal to444,tier ,i ,state1 ,tier ,,ii ,state1 or ,tier ,,iii ,state#bjj,tier ,,iv ,state1 ,tier ,v ,state1 or ,tier ,,vi ,state#cjj4 4 7b7 ,applicability ,section #bajd7;e7 of such ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #ijbc7;e77 is amended to read as follows3 7b7 ,applicability ,an agreement entered into under this section shall apply to weeks of unemployment beginning after the date on which such agreement is entered into4 4 #d4 ,extension of ,pandemic ,emergency ,unemployment ,compensation through calendar year #bjbj ,section #bajg of the ,,cares ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #ijbe7 is amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7b77#b71 by striking #ac times and all that follows through the end and inserting the product of-- 7,a7 the individual's average weekly benefit amount1 which includes the amount of ,federal ,pandemic ,unemployment ,compensation under section #bajd1 for the benefit year2 and 7,b7 the number of weeks sufficient to provide for the payment of pandemic emergency unemployment compensation to the individual for each week with respect to which the agreement entered into under this section is in effect4 2 and 7#b7 in subsection 7g77#b71 by striking ,december #ca1 #bjbj and inserting ,january #ca1 #bjba4 #e4 ,designation of ,state unemployment tiers ,subtitle ,a of title ,,ii of division ,b of the ,,cares ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #ijba et seq47 is amended-- 7#a7 by redesignating sections #baae and #baaf as sections #baaf and #baag1 respectively2 and 7#b7 by inserting after section #baad the following3 #baae4 ,state unemployment tiers 7a7 ,in general ,for the #c-month period beginning with ,february #bjba1 and for each subsequent #c-month period1 the ,secretary of ,labor shall designate each ,state according to the following table3 ,if the quarterly unemployment rate in a ,state with respect to a #c-month period is444,the ,state shall be designated for such #c-month period as a444less than #e4e percent,tier ,i ,stateequal to or greater than #e4e percent but less than #f4e percent,tier ,,ii ,stateequal to or greater than #f4e percent but less than #g4e percent,tier ,,iii ,stateequal to or greater than #g4e percent but less than #h4e percent,tier ,,iv ,stateequal to or greater than #h4e percent but less than #i4e percent,tier ,v ,stateequal to or greater than #i4e percent,tier ,,vi ,state4 7b7 ,quarterly unemployment rate ,for purposes of this section1 the term quarterly unemployment rate means1 with respect to a ,state for a #c-month period described in subsection 7a71 the average rate of total unemployment in such ,state 7seasonally adjusted71 to be determined by the ,secretary of ,labor1 for the period consisting of the most recent #ac-week period ending not less than #ad days before the beginning of such #c-month period4 7c7 ,state ,for purposes of this section1 the term ,state includes the ,district of ,columbia1 the ,commonwealth of ,puerto ,rico1 the ,virgin ,islands1 ,guam1 ,american ,samoa1 the ,commonwealth of the ,northern ,mariana ,islands1 the ,federated ,states of ,micronesia1 the ,republic of the ,marshall ,islands1 and the ,republic of ,palau4 4 #f4 ,additional emergency transfers for unemployment compensation administration 7a7 ,in general ,section #ijc of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aajc7 is amended by adding at the end the following3 ,additional emergency transfers in fiscal year #bjbj for administration 7j7 7#a7 7,a7 ,in addition to any other amounts 7including amounts provided under subsection 7h771 the ,secretary of ,labor shall provide for the making of emergency administration grants in fiscal year #bjbj to the accounts of the ,states in the ,unemployment ,trust ,fund1 in accordance with succeeding provisions of this subsection4 7,b7 ,the amount of an emergency administration grant with respect to a ,state shall1 as determined by the ,secretary of ,labor1 be equal to the amount obtained by multiplying #e1jjj1jjj1jjj by the same ratio as would apply under subsection 7a77#b77;,b7 for purposes of determining such ,state's share of any excess amount 7as described in subsection 7a77#a77 that would have been subject to transfer to ,state accounts1 as of ,october #a1 #bjai1 under the provisions of subsection 7a74 7#b7 ,any amount transferred to the account of a ,state under this subsection may be used by such ,state only for the administration of its unemployment compensation law4 7#c7 7,a7 ,notwithstanding any other provision of law1 the ,secretary of the ,treasury shall transfer from the general fund of the ,treasury 7from funds not otherwise appropriated7 to the employment security administration account 7as established by section #ija of the ,social ,security ,act7 such sums as the ,secretary of ,labor estimates to be necessary for purposes of making the transfers described in paragraph 7#a77;,c74 7,b7 ,there are appropriated from the general fund of the ,treasury1 without fiscal year limitation1 the sums referred to in the preceding sentence and such sums shall not be required to be repaid4 4 7b7 ,regulations ,the ,secretary of ,labor may prescribe any regulations1 operating instructions1 or other guidance necessary to carry out the amendment made by subsection 7a74