Unemployment Insurance Modernization and Recession Readiness Act
Sponsored By: Representative Beyer
Introduced
Summary
Expands and modernizes unemployment benefits across the country. This bill would shift extended unemployment to full federal funding, set minimum durations and benefit floors for regular benefits, add a weekly Dependents' Allowance starting in 2027, and create a federally funded Jobseeker Allowance with individual accounts and tiered augmentations tied to high-unemployment periods.
Show full summary
- Families would receive a Dependents' Allowance beginning at $25 per dependent per week in 2027, indexed to the Consumer Price Index.
- Workers and jobseekers would see broader eligibility and higher pay. The bill would require at least 26 weeks of regular benefits and a weekly benefit floor equal to at least 75% of earnings in the highest base-period quarter, while eliminating the waiting week and allowing part-time work.
- States would be fully reimbursed for extended unemployment and for Jobseeker Allowances, gain new coordination and portability rules, and the Secretary of Labor would get new trigger and reporting authority.
*The bill authorizes federal funding and appropriations for extended benefits and the Jobseeker Allowance.*
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
10 provisions identified: 8 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.
Extended benefits start sooner and last longer
This bill would turn on extra weeks when joblessness is high and boost how much you can get. A state or the nation would be “on” when the 3‑month average jobless rate is at least 5.5%. Higher tiers would add bigger amounts and weeks: at 6.5%–7.5% you’d get 100% and 26 weeks; at 7.5%–8.5% you’d get 150% and 39 weeks; at 8.5%+ you’d get 200% and 52 weeks. An elevated national trigger would also turn on based on a 0.5‑point rise over the lowest recent 3‑month average. Your extended‑benefit account would be calculated using the greatest of the specified metrics, and any balance could keep paying for up to six months after your state turns “off,” if you’re still eligible. Portability would match regular unemployment, and states would use set methods if your new benefit year’s weekly amount is $25 or more lower than before. Most changes would start on or after January 1, 2027, or sooner if your state updates its rules.
Extra unemployment help in emergencies
During a declared public health emergency or a presidential disaster, this bill would create a larger emergency top‑up to unemployment checks. The federal government would pay states 100% of these emergency amounts and reasonable admin costs. The extra payments would not count as income or resources for the month received and the next 12 months for federal and federally assisted programs. Fraud and overpayment rules would apply, with waiver options where fair.
New weekly Jobseeker Allowance
This bill would create a federal Jobseeker Allowance paying $250 per week in 2027, with yearly increases tied to CPI‑U. If you are available for under 20 hours per week, you would get half. The allowance would be reduced by any regular or extended unemployment you get for the same week. Your account would start with 26 times the weekly amount, with up to four extra 13‑week augmentations tied to triggers. The federal government would reimburse states 100% of payments and reasonable admin costs, and payments would be ignored as income/resources for the month received and the next 12 months. The Labor Department would have to issue rules within 3 months of enactment.
Federal funding protects extended benefits
This bill would have the federal government pay states 100% of extended unemployment compensation, except for benefits a state charges to employers through experience rating or in‑lieu payments. It would cut a specified federal offset by 50%, easing funding interactions. It would also exempt extended‑benefit payments to states from federal sequestration orders issued on or after enactment. These steps could help keep extended benefits flowing during downturns.
Easier to qualify for unemployment
This bill would make it easier to qualify based on recent work. States would have to count the four most recent completed quarters, including the most recent one before your claim. If you missed work or had reduced pay for health, parental, or caregiving reasons, the state would look back at least four more earlier quarters. You would not be denied if you earned at least $1,000 in your highest quarter and $1,500 in your base period (states could set lower amounts). These rules would start on or after January 1, 2027, or sooner if your state updates its rules.
Faster, bigger unemployment checks
This bill would raise the floor for weekly checks and speed up payments. States would have to pay the first eligible week right away, with no waiting week. Your weekly amount would be at least 75% of your highest‑quarter earnings divided by 13, up to the state maximum. Each state’s maximum weekly benefit could not be less than two‑thirds of the state’s average weekly wage. States would also have to offer at least 26 weeks of regular benefits. Most changes would start for weeks on or after January 1, 2027, or sooner if your state updates its rules.
More reasons you can get unemployment
This bill would protect more people who leave or lose a job. You could get benefits if you left for a compelling reason the Labor Department defines, like caring for a sick family member, losing child care, moving with a spouse, unsafe work, or employer law violations. Quitting to escape domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, or harassment would not block benefits with proper documentation. Finishing a temporary assignment would count as an involuntary layoff. If a labor dispute caused your separation, you could still qualify in cases like a lockout, an employer’s contract or legal violations, or if you and others of your class are not part of the dispute. Workers would also be presumed employees for unemployment unless all three parts of a strict test are met. Most changes would start on or after January 1, 2027, or sooner if your state updates its rules.
Part-time and short-time benefit rules
This bill would help part-time workers keep more benefits, but tighten one short-time program rule. States would have to ignore at least one‑third of your weekly benefit amount when counting weekly earnings for partial benefits, if you work less than full time and keep looking for work. States could not deny you just for seeking fewer hours if you seek at least 20 hours a week or half your usual hours. For short-time compensation (work‑share), the employer availability test would rise from 60% to 80% on the date of enactment, which could reduce which employers qualify. States could let employers file weekly claims for workers. Most other changes would start after state updates or by January 1, 2027.
Support for self-employment assistance
This bill would require states to pay allowances under a defined self‑employment assistance program. It clarifies how states must structure payments for people building a business while unemployed. This would apply to weeks on or after state compliance or January 1, 2027.
Unemployment fixes for school staff and students
This bill would allow retroactive payments if you were denied due only to the academic‑year rule and were not offered work for the next term, as long as you filed timely claims. It would also revise which student service rules apply under state unemployment law, for service performed on or after January 1, 2027.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Beyer
VA • D
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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