AN ACT RELATIVE TO ADDITIONAL UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS FOR THE NEEDIEST RECIPIENTS CURRENTLY EXCLUDED FROM THE LOST WAGES ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
Whereas, The deferred operation of this act would tend to defeat its purpose, which is to establish forthwith a minimum unemployment weekly benefit amount during a public health emergency, therefore it is hereby declared to be an emergency law, necessary for the immediate preservation of the public health.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
Notwithstanding any provision of chapter 151A of the General Laws to the contrary, for the period of the week ending August 1, 2020 to the week ending September 5, 2020, inclusive, any claimant receiving unemployment benefits in an amount less than $100 per week, including the dependency allowance payable under subsection (c) of section 29 of said chapter 151A, shall be deemed eligible to receive a weekly benefit amount of $100 per week that shall include the dependency allowance payable under said subsection (c) of said section 29 of said chapter 151A.
The secretary of labor and workforce development shall file a final report on the: (i) number of claimants deemed eligible pursuant to this act; and (ii) additional federal Lost Wages Assistance funds received for each week of the covered period with the clerks of the house of representatives and the senate, the joint committee on labor and workforce development and the house and senate committees on ways and means not later than December 31, 2020.
Approved, October 26, 2020.