Arizona Governor Doug Ducey Expands Access to Unemployment Insurance

by Jeff Hernandez

On March 20, 2020, Arizona Governor Doug Ducey announced a forthcoming executive order aimed at providing economic relief to workers whose employment is affected by Coronavirus. Unemployment insurance benefits will now be applied retroactively to hardships experienced after March 11, 2020. Applications will be accepted beginning March 23, 2020.

The executive order ensures individuals whose employment is affected by the Coronavirus have easier access to unemployment benefits. Unemployment insurance benefits may be available to individuals who are involuntarily unemployed as a result of COVID-19. The amount of the benefit will vary based upon the amount of money that the individual has previously earned, but will be between $187 and $240 per week.

The recent executive order changed the existing eligibility requirements as follows:

It waives the one-week waiting period after an employee loses a job before they can apply for unemployment benefits.
It waives work-search requirements for those receiving unemployment benefits.
It adds to the eligible list people who work at businesses that have been temporarily closed or have reduced hours because of the Coronavirus
It adds those who are required to quarantine as a result of contracting the virus
It adds those who have to care for a family member with the Coronavirus.
The order also waives any increase in employer payments to the unemployment insurance fund for businesses whose employees receive benefits under this provision.

Undoubtedly, these changes will make it much easier for workers affected by the Coronavirus epidemic to qualify for benefits immediately and are intended to minimize the impact on the economy when large numbers of workers lose their jobs in the coming months.

For more information regarding the changes to unemployment benefit requirements, go to https://des.az.gov/services/employment/unemployment-individual/eligibility-unemployment-insurance-benefits

We at the Connie Colla Group at RETSY are a local Arizona business and we care about our community and are dedicated to bringing you the important news and information as it happens. Please reach out to us anytime if you have questions about this story or about buying or selling your home here in the Valley.

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Jeff Hernandez, Esq., Realtor | 602-550-1114 | Jeff@ConnieCollaGroup.com

Connie Colla, Realtor | 480-599-5058 | Connie@ConnieCollaGroup.com | ConnieCollaGroup.com

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