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1. Provide retroactive compensation for the lack of government inaction in 2020. This solution should compensate all unemployed and underemployed people, as well as low-wage essential workers. This should be at least a $6,000 payment or refundable tax rebate payable immediately.
                Why?  FPUC for the unemployed July 25: $600 x 23 weeks = $13,800
                          Stimulus checks should have been offered monthly: $1200 x 8 months = $9,600
                          $2000 x 8 months = $16,000

 

2. Extend and expand enhanced unemployment insurance until the pandemic is over. This must include:​

• Additional weeks for both UI and PUA claims added and those weeks must include the FPUC.

• Assistance tiered off via recovery triggers, but not until the pandemic national emergency is over, unemployment rates have returned to near pre-pandemic levels, and pre-pandemic jobs numbers have been recovered.

• Work search requirements and job refusal eligibility waived in all states until the pandemic is over.

• Make the mixed earner fix passed in the December relief bill mandatory for all states.

• Give unemployment benefits to job seekers and working people, including immigrants, who have been excluded.​  We also recognize that UI has been designed to exclude BIPOC and we aim to challenge racism in the UI system.

 

3. Provide direct cash payments targeted to all affected workers in the US. 76 million people are out of work and only 21 million of those are receiving unemployment. Underemployment is also rampant. We must support these workers.

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4. Extend and expand health care relief including:

• 100% subsidy for the COBRA program to protect workers’ healthcare, and extension of eligibility to 36 months.  

• Expansion of Medicaid and requiring, not just allowing, all states to extend Medicaid coverage for COVID-19 testing to the uninsured.  

• A continued open enrollment period until the pandemic is over for all people to access or change their health insurance based on their new financial situations.

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5. Bolster the rent relief plan with more funding and expand it to all affected, including, but not limited to, low income families. Additionally, extend the eviction moratorium through the end of the crisis and recovery.

 

Additional fights we support:

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Offer comprehensive and retroactive relief to front-line and essential workers by providing hazard pay, PPE, and workplace protections standards.

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Expanding unemployment and stimulus aid to all people in this country, regardless of job history or immigration status.

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Provide unemployment security for workers in the live events and entertainment industries. Relief must continue until face-to-face industries are able to operate at standard capacity confidently.

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Provide long-term support for small businesses and independent contractors by implementing additional forgivable loan programs. Allow non-profits, BIPOC-owned businesses, and labor unions fair access to pandemic relief.  ​

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Provide funding for state and local governments to strengthen their unemployment systems and pay out millions of backlogged claims, keep employees on payroll, and provide much-needed social services to individuals who are struggling. There are no blue states or red states. We are People.

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Overhaul the UI system and other Justice in Recovery efforts.

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Make improvements and amendments to State specific UI systems, particularly a fix for the Partial UI issue in NYS.

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Reinstate paid leave due to COVID-19.​

 

We do NOT support corporate immunity in any liability legislation. Endangering workers is not an acceptable provision of a relief bill.

 

We want empathy and leadership from

the American government during a global pandemic. 

Weird, we know.