FAQ
I was laid off because the company I work at had to close due to COVID-19. Is there any help for me?
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Yes. First, if you meet the qualifications for unemployment, having lost a job through no fault of your own, then you have the option of a traditional Idaho unemployment benefits program for up to 20 weeks. Check here to see if you qualify.
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We understand the Idaho Department of Labor is receiving record number of requests for unemployment assistance. If you have a busy signal, I advise you to continue to try and contact the Idaho Department of Labor.
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Second, the CARES Act extended unemployment by 13 weeks of unemployment assistance to Idaho’s 20 weeks for a total of up to 33 weeks of unemployment benefits should that be needed, under a program called the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation Program. Check here to see if you qualify.
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Finally, the CARES Act authorized and is funding the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program (FPUC). It provides a premium of $600 per week for the first 12 weeks (from the end of March 2020 to the end of July 2020) on top of the normal unemployment benefits you will receive during that time. This program was put in place because the federal government closed so many businesses, causing people like yourself to be put out of work. Check here to see if you qualify.
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Idaho’s Department of Unemployment offers an FAQ page to provide answers to many unemployment-related questions. You can find that page here.
My employer has furloughed me, but not listed me as unemployed with the State of Idaho - what recourse do I have?
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While unemployment insurance is predominantly managed at the state level, Congress expanded who is eligible under the CARES Act to those who may not be eligible at the state level, so long as their unemployment is connected to COVID-19. This can include furloughed workers, part-time workers, freelancers, independent contractors, and the self-employed. The Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program (PUA) allows those eligible individuals up to 39 weeks of unemployment benefits should that be needed. Check here to see if you qualify.
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The CARES Act also extended unemployment by 13 weeks of unemployment assistance to Idaho’s 20 weeks for a total of up to 33 weeks of unemployment benefits should that be needed, under a program called the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation Program. And, the CARES Act authorized and is funding the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program (FPUC). It provides a premium of $600 per week for the first 12 weeks (from the end of March 2020 to the end of July 2020) on top of the normal unemployment benefits you will receive during that time. Check here to see if you qualify.
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Idaho’s Department of Unemployment offers an FAQ page to provide answers to many unemployment-related questions. You can find that page here.
I am an employer, my employee will receive more compensation than they receive hourly, can I use SBA loans to supplement their pay during this period?
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The Paycheck Protection Program (or PPP) is a federally guaranteed loan for small businesses so they can access cash to pay their employees while the employees must stay home as the COVID-19 virus passes. It is designed to help small businesses deal with the temporary cash flow shortage due to a loss of revenue. Unlike most typical SBA loans, PPP loans are unsecured loans. They require no collateral, no personal guarantee, and no showing that credit is not available anywhere else. And, provided the employer meets certain conditions for the eight-week loan, it can be forgiven.
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If the employer has to lay off their employees, because it may be longer than eight weeks or because that is the employer's option, then the employees would likely qualify for unemployment, as long as they got laid off through no fault of their own. In that case, the employee would apply for unemployment, and the COVID-19 unemployment benefits would kick in, on top of the employee's regular unemployment benefits. Employees should check with Idaho’s Department of Labor here to see if they qualify.
Is my unemployment retroactive if it takes DOL some time to file my application?
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Yes. Both your traditional unemployment and the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (EPUC) will be applied retroactively to your first date of eligibility or the specific date the state implemented the federal program, whichever date is later.
I heard I will receive $600 in addition to my regular unemployment - do I still need to pay taxes on that?
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Yes. This additional benefit is taxable, as is the case with all unemployment compensation at the federal level. While this additional benefit will be disregarded for the purposes of determining income eligibility for Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) the regular and extended unemployment benefits generally count as income when determining eligibility for public assistance programs.