Small businesses laying off workers due to virus can offer them this information
During the difficult decision-making made necessary by recent events, NFIB members have requested guidance on whether their employees may qualify for assistance if businesses are forced to close temporarily, reduce employees’ hours, or ask workers to stay home.
The state Department of Labor and Industry recently provided a statement on eligibility for unemployment and workers’ compensation for Workers in Pennsylvania who are impacted by COVID-19 (https://www.health.pa.gov/topics/disease/Pages/Coronavirus.aspx).
Employees may be eligible for unemployment compensation if:
- Their employer temporarily closes or goes out of business because of COVID-19;
- Their employer reduces their hours because of COVID-19;
- The employee has been told not to work because the employer feels they might get or spread COVID-19; or
- The employee is subject to quarantine or self-isolation or lives/works in a county under government-recommended mitigation efforts. (Note: this applies statewide as of March 17.)
Employees may Apply online at https://www.uc.pa.gov/unemployment-benefits/file/Pages/File%20an%20Initial%20Claim.aspx).
