Passed both Senate and Assembly
To assure that unemployed people in New Jersey’s will continue to receive benefits beyond when federal benefits expire at the end of the year, the state legislature just passed a bill to extend benefits with state funds, S-3283/A 5151. But the money will only be paid out if the federal government doesn’t pass a stimulus bill including extended unemployment benefits.
The New Jersey bill is headed to the Governor’s desk for his signature as state policymakers watch the ongoing negotiations in the nation’s capital. The state bill would provide eight weeks of emergency unemployment during the period from December 22, 2020 to February 27, 2021 to individuals who exhaust all other unemployment benefits.
The emergency unemployment benefits provided by the bill will be funded entirely by the state. No employer’s account will be charged a higher fee if employees apply for unemployment benefits during that time. If federal dollars do pass to cover the extended benefits the federal plan will be implemented instead.
