Town Hall with ESD Commissioner Suzi LeVine

Defeated the 13 weeks the time frames for each of those areas follows the unemployment assistance expansion of eligibility, which allows those like unemployed workers, independent contractors or those who have fewer than six hours is retroactive to February second and it extends the end of this calendar year and again that's if you've been impacted by Coach Knight in the workplace. The second, the $600 is from March 20, -ninth through July 20, -seventh and the third, the 13 weeks goes from March 20, -ninth through the end of the calendar year now to get that work done to be able to process the hundreds of thousands of people across the state to be able to access those benefits takes a lot of work and my team has been working around the So that we can accommodate that incredible demand this Saturday we plan on launching that update, so that people can then access that probably late in the day on Saturday, but more likely better on Sunday. It'll take a lot of the day for that through, however, I'm really really important things for people to be aware of it is not going to be a Super simple process. That's putting that out there. We have a lot. Instructions and information that we are posting to the website and through our newsletter and in social media, most important thing that you can take away from this town Hall with Congressman Heck and with me is to go to ESPN dot WA dot Gov and sign up for our covid- 19 Action Alerts. There are four key things that people can do right now in order to prepare for this extended Number one sign up for that newsletter Number two go through something called our eligibility and you'll find it just on the website on our unemployment because this will help you determine are you eligible for entered unemployment insurance or for the new Endemics employment assistance? number three we have an application chocolate or help you be that will step you through what I need how you can be ready to apply number four is sign up now for an account secure access washing counter we have a video about nine minutes worth watching it is not starting any one of your favourite movie but it is going to get your money better your favourite movie the more prepared you are after you will get your mind what we have seen again is that those who are able to do the online application to get to smoothly and we are then for people their money then seven to ten days with the pandemic and unemployment this program we are gonna be some additional instruction Examples for those who are independent contractors and self-employed workers. we do not already have or wage information. you don't have an employer that is spending that of us, but all we need to do is to check against our records will need to submit Beige documentation ideally your tax documents the past year and then that needs to be checked will provide you with the minimum weekly benefit amount, but then we need to go back and check it. Single one of those to confirm it that we can get you your money quickly and you know get you a minimum amount quickly verified and then get your full amount and we will pay you on a retro active week for that difference. I'm happy to explain this again and again on the website but most important thing is go to SDP dot W A N G O V, Make sure you are prepared for you apply again hundreds. Thousands of people have access to this benefit and it will provide some expertise in mind many have needed and so many will now be able to get I'm humbled to lead extraordinary team that have been worked night and day to bring this to life. We are looking for looking forward to pulling up with that one and I pause and answer questions that you or your constituents may have before we go through this together. Thank you Susie before we do that I would like to make an observation and then ask a clarifying question If I may personally observation, I wanna make is to put in context a little bit about the avalanche of request that have come in to the Department of Employment Security. I don't have the state specific. Figures at my fingertips, but I can tell you this about the National data in each of the last two weeks, the number of people who have filed for unemployment insurance in each of the last two weeks was 10 times greater than the highest week in the Great recession in each of the last two weeks that I had to put it a little bit in perspective about what's happening here. We're not experiencing 100 year flood. We're experiencing a. Hundred year flood and the team at Employment Security is racing literally around the clock to get the system so that it can get the money out to all of you. Secondly, the clarifying question if I may Susie the the the point you made about people getting the minimum amount right away and then retroactively the enhanced amount. once verification has been done is that for regular regular filers or pandemic. Employment Assistance filers, or both this is for Democrats Unemployment assistance filers for whom we do not yet have waited and hours so that is gonna be independent, contractors and self-employed workers and to be clear they're gonna get to amount they're gonna get the weekly benefit amount and they're gonna get the $600 when they file. We are going to give them the minimum of the weekly benefit amount, which is 220 - five up to. when we are actually taking basically I'm gonna be doing as well verification quickly go through those documents to confirm that what they have submitted matches what they're documents and then when we approve it then they will be able to get the full weekly benefit that make sense yes thank you so nobody is gonna be missing out on their benefit you wanna get money Pocket and yet we also want to protect tax payers fraud. That's the key. the other thing is you talked about numbers to give you a gauge our year our our weekly initial claims last week with a hundred and 70000 people that's equivalent to the population in Vancouver, Washington or two sold out Seahawks game. It is seven times the peak week the 2000 18009 recession. We now have 480 - 5000 total claims last week, so that's an enormous an unheard of number. It's about 950 percent up since four. this crisis began and the call volume part of a thousand percent before the crisis defense. We've been staffing up substantially the end of this week we have over 500 service people handling our eight hundred number for questions are virtual pets our And by next week, we will have a thousand people on board or more, so we are working quickly to step up but more importantly been working quickly to get the information on our website, People can help themselves and really go through this in a more automated way, and we've also been updating the technology to keep its with the changes the rules and in laws that we have been in order to accommodate more people and get people their money more quickly. That includes for example, the waves job search. So when you are on an employment assistance, you do not need to search for a job. It is optional if waves the waiting week, which allows people to start getting their money from that, just why we can provide people that money within seven to 10 days of winter approved so a number of areas like that that we have been working on enrolling and working on improving in a number of key ways. So. The does that help clarify your question if political context on the numbers absolutely and let's get to more questions Bobby this question came in through constituent mail. What is Congress doing to help the people who are unemployed at this time? My partner who I live with is out of work as she does contracted construction work is she entitled to some kind of relief? Yes, the pandemic unemployment assistance, which Susie is just explained. I don't know if there's much to elaborate upon there. The answer is yes. Please get your friend to sign up for our action alerts where they will be able to then get ready to start today getting her saw accounts set up her six practice. Washington accounts set up they can go through and do the eligibility checker discomfort that it would be the pandemic unemployment assistance versus the regular unemployment insurance and they can go through the application checklist so that they've got everything lined up a more prepared. After the money, okay, the next question is from Brett via Facebook, when will the additional benefits to be added to our weekly benefits and do we need to do anything other than continue to file normally? Brett Thank you so much those people who are on unemployment insurance already or who are eligible for unemployment will also receive the $6 additional weekly benefits and then have access to the 13 feet. additional time you do not need to do anything. With regards to $600 will be paid retroactive to the date of who went on unemployment insurance March fifteenth March 20 -ninth, For example, we'll get the $600 retro active to that, as well as on an ongoing basis for dollars as long as you are on unemployment insurance up to July. The only thing you need to do is you do need extended benefits of 13 weeks in your account, You will then see a link after this Saturday, you see a link to basically execute that and put that into action if those additional 13 weeks between now and end of December. The next question is from Dixie via Facebook as well. I'm a senior who lives on social security. I have not filed my taxes for three years. Some say they will use our social security account to get our money to us. Others say we must file a tax return for 2018. Can you help with Palfrey is going to work? so I do not have a delay in getting my payment if we need to file a tax return, where can we get one and hopefully it will be easy to work out because I don't want to pay a tax prepare to file it. I look forward. You're meeting on Facebook with Susie Levine. Thank you very much so if I understood that question correctly, it had to do not with unemployment benefits, of course, but with the the 12 - hundred - dollar payment that is going to be made available to all adults in the $500 per child, depending on their circumstance, and the answer is that that issue of what social security recipients would have to do since the program was first adopted, has gone through some clarification and at the present time you will not need to do you will not need to refile your taxes it Okay, Next question is from Jeff on Facebook aren't the self-employed supposed to be covered for employment under the Cares Act and how do we access it or file a claim if we are self-employed? What a great question? yes, you are covered under the Care Act so please go and we're gonna be singing The song together. Go to ESPN dot WA dot Gov and the four key steps. Sign up for our action alerts go to the eligibility Checker Do the application preparation checklist and create your saw account. You can do that between now and Saturday and then Saturday night or Sunday or the next days after that apply for and museum. Online system in order to apply so you have your documentation ready to go things like your 1090 - nine or your 2019 tax filing will be the most ideal to use. That's how self employed will be able to take advantage of this and you'll be paid retroactive to the date of eligibility, which will be when you were impacted by the Covid- 19. I would also recommend that anybody who is self-employed and has a small business go to the SBA website and check out some of the resources that will be made that are being There are a variety of them. I don't wanna get in to that detail here on this town Hall, which is dealing print principally with unemployment compensation, but there are other forms of assistance that you should check out as well. The next one I wanna reemphasize, though, is our phone lines have been inundated and even though we're expanding number of people like an overflowing pipe, there's two things you can do to reduce the flow or increase the pipe size. They're doing both and that said we are trying to do 60 percent of the calls equip our call Center questions Most of those questions are answered by our frequently. Asked questions on the website, please please start with the website. We can Reserve those calls those very precious Center agents who are very skilled to work with those individuals who do have more complex cases and require wanna put that out there. And the next question is actually about student loans. so more for Congressman Heck here I would like to see a bill that would provide skipping student loan payments with no penalties as long as the dealer is on a reduced or non work schedule due to covid- 19. I'm still employed, but my boss keeps talking about massive layoffs. Do you think that student loan relief could be a possibility? well, a partial form of student loan relief was actually included in the Cares Act if you have a federal student Still with the federal government then your payments have been suspended until the end of September. If however, you've refinanced that into the private sector. Currently, there isn't a form of assistance available, but there is increased conversation about whether or not to include that in a cares two point O package again if you have a federal student loan now in the paper is still held by by the federal government, then you are suspended without penalty for making payment until the. Of September, Okay, The next question is from Lou Anne from Facebook. I'm unemployed. now due to the virus I looked into applying for unemployment but did not work the required hours last year. Now, I'm back in the same boat I was in before I got my job. I've heard rumors that the hours worked requirement might be waived but have been unable to confirm this. The Louanne Thank you for asking I we've been talking a lot about independent contractors and self-employed workers at the. Cares Act also addresses those who have fewer than 680 hours. It's 680 hours of Washington specific statute. basically the Cares Act and pandemic unemployment assistance is for anybody with eligible for our regular insurance program. So if you have been denied in the past because you don't have enough hours that includes you so you should be able to apply and please have your. Ready and because it's more of an hours rather than you're an independent contractor or self-employed worker looks likely we actually have your hours already on file. so what I recommend is going back. It sounds like you've already applied you may already have secure access Washington account and services account, but go in there and see whether it's already showing your hours. There's a nice thing for you that you may be able to just get through in an automated way upgraded verification because we already have this in your hours on file. So I would go back and look at your account go to the applications have all of your materials. Sign up for our newsletter and you should be good to go assuming you're eligible. So Susie I wanna get in here and ask a question about workshop. yeah cuz I our office has been getting a lot of those questions if they've had their if they've been laid off, but then they're brought back on fewer hours than they were how was their unemployment benefit affected so businesses who are using a shared work and apply online and they list out their employees and the employees fly and. As anybody who's receiving unemployment insurance of any amount will be able to access the additional $6 benefit as well as this certain weight. so if you are in a shared work situation where it's 10 to 50 hours reduced by your employee employer and you're receiving unemployment insurance to do the partial wage replacement on is reduced hours you are eligible for receiving the additional benefits as part of this. Not, however, need to take action in order to get the $600 I will just showing up in your weekly. check what you do need to do is to continue to file your weekly game so for those people who are business owners do recommend considering scared work because it allows you to keep your fees attached to sort of spread it out across more and please for hours, perhaps and to allow people to have the dignity of work. But I think it's a core part of. That's a nice benefit is that there are people in that situation are still eligible for the $600 a week increment to the weekly benefit to the end of July, So just to be clear. Susie I I I we can get lost in so much of the alphabet soup and the complexity here If I was working 40 hours, I was laid off and then the boss brings me back for 20 hours I can continue to receive a prorated share of. Unemployment but the full 600 a week in addition to my wage for my reduce hours, the employer needs to have signed up for our shared work program, which they can apply online and once they've done that and their application has been approved and those employees who are getting who have the reduced hours and have partial wage replacement for their weekly benefit against ours and they will. The six - hundred - dollar additional week from the Cares Act. Thank you Bobby next question because of covid- 19 I've been laid off from the Small Business. I worked for as a result of that. my medical insurance will stop soon. I have to buy insurance in case I get sick. I'll be getting unemployment pay, but half of that is going to pay for my health insurance is the government considering anything to help people who have lost their income and their health insurance so I think that. Probably three main opportunities here for continuing health care coverage, The first would be Cobra the system that enables you to continue for. I think it is 18 months your current health program that's kind of expensive because it requires you if your employer has been participating to pay not only what you have, but also what they have secondly, however, if your income drops below a certain level and I think it's 1300 and some dollars. A month per adult, or 30 some hundred dollars a month for a family of four if your income is below a certain level, then you can qualify for the Apple Health program or Medicaid health insurance in the state, which would be free if however, your income is above that you can apply to the local health Exchange, where there's a sliding scale based on what it is, you make so three options. Cobra full boat. Apply to the health Exchange, However, how much you pay is reduced based on your income or third. If you drop below a certain level, then you qualify for the Apple Health of the Medicaid program and I'll add one thing cuz we get this with some frequency as well, the health benefits team wanted me to let folks know that open enrollment is open right now and so people can check that out and they made that happen because of this crisis that we're in right now. Bobby The next question is from Michelle via Facebook. we've been trying to access benefits on the website. It's not helpful. There's been new life phone assistance and we've had to schedule a callback for April 20. -first. We're unable to set out a set up an account. How will we be able to apply for and receive funds? One of the things? Thank you so much Michelle for that question. setting up an account has frankly been one of the top issues that we've been trying to work through and I don't know if. It is a recent issue that you run into, but we found is that the line there people who ran into issues with setting up a secure access. Washington had another account, but they've forgotten their pastor. How to access it a week and a half ago, we rolled out an app that allowed people to reset that fix that issue. there have been other areas related to setting up an account that looks fun challenges and we have a. Now posted regard to how to set up your account, Unfortunately, if that's still not working, it does mean falling we've expanded hours where we are Monday through Friday from eight to four and then Saturdays from seven to four and we are doing call back late into the evenings as well as on Sundays. So unfortunately, Michelle the answer might be just to continue to try us and hold your appointment of April first that you have for that call back. And and hopefully we can get that resolved as quickly as possible if there are other technical issues that you wanna send in to Congressman Heck's office, you can see if it's a generalized issue that we already have an answer to try to address it, but if it's a specific point around your setup on your account that unfortunately, it is going to take getting somebody on the line to help you and so people have been getting through on the phone. We're entering several thousand all the day out of the several more thousand. All the day that are coming in so I know it's cold comfort. I apologize for that. We're really doing the best that we can and we're trying to step up as quickly as we can so Susie I know and I'm joining in the course here. WWW dot ESD dot NY dot Gov WWW dot ESD dot NY dot Gov but should somebody need to call they would call what number I don't know the eight hundred number off the top of my head cuz it's not some catchy eight hundred number I wish and at the same time I did. Wish because I want people to use the website First WWW dot ESD dot NY dot Gov. Yes, they'll see it in the course of their work that they're doing that they're trying to get that set up. The other thing is the more people that we can get to use the website the more the claims agents and the specialists will be able to help those individuals who really need their help So again. if you have just a question, please the website and look up the information there. we have a plethora of it there. We reorganized it and we really tried to. The ones that we know are coming in. Bobby Hey, we're gonna take a question from Facebook now that from five years this is from Ann Marie When can self employed and gig workers apply for unemployment insurance The update goes live this Saturday and we'll take most of the day for us to do that update at the test it and make sure it's stable so I would encourage you to start to apply on that day, but you can do stuff now and you can go to the website. Sign up go to the. Eligibility Checker will determine which one is appropriate whether it's our current insurance whether it is this expanded and then you would go to the application checklist or that you're ready. Sign up for a secure access Washington account and then apply to come Ideally Sunday. You know we take the whole day on Saturday for the upgrade and there's a nice question has to do with mortgage and rent relief so Congressman Heck I contacted. Mortgage lender to inquire about what options were available under the President's order regarding mortgage forgiveness for those affected by the Corona virus, I was saddened and frustrated when the message on my lenders Web page stated that there was no help for anyone with a Fannie Mae Freddie Mac FHA, VA or USDA mortgage aside from conventional loans, this eliminates the use of this forbearance or forgiveness measure that was issued by the President. It seems as though they found a loophole to not assist those of us in need during the pandemic, I would appreciate your investigation and hopeful resolution of this problem. I'm sure this affects tens of thousands of residents. In your district as well as my family, thank you for your time who is that from Bob, that was that was from summer and came in through constituent mail summer thanks very much for the question. first of all. I'm not sure about all of the alphabet soup that you read in terms of the stated lack of availability of mortgage forbearance, but with the government sponsored enterprises, Fannie Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, that's simply not true what you were told was not true and I would recommend you take another. It is not mortgage forgiveness is mortgage forbearance in other words, without penalty as suspension of obligation for a period of time, but it is not true that there isn't any mortgage forbearance available there is secondly there is, however not get much in the way of rental assistance. In fact, it's one of my four highest priorities for the Cares Act. Two point. Oh, I think it's really important that people be able to pay their rent because if they can't of course. They're gonna face some very serious consequences at the point at which the ban on evictions is lifted and they are in most areas not allowed to be evicted from their place. What they need is the ability to pay that brand so we will be making a big push for inclusion of rental assistance. in Cares two point Oaks. There's been some receptivity, but I don't wanna make a prediction at this point. The last I would suggest that you call our office on the mortgage issue. If you if you own your home or your condominium and you're being told that and it's is in as back by the G S E 's, and you're being told that there isn't any forbearance again. I think that's just flat wrong so call our office. We can help you can find our phone number, which I also don't know off the top of my head online easily. We have offices in both Lacey and Lakewood. Right the next question is from Katie via Facebook. I have employees who are afraid to work at my convenience store is there any relief for them? also as the mandated sick leave or FMLA, which is the Family Medical Leave Act. What is the standard of proof and employee would have to submit to qualify for the two weeks of sick leave or FMLA. I have one employee who is asking to receive sick leave to take care of her father who she lives with who is elderly and ill. Additionally, I have one employee who has diabetes and a. And has asked for sick leave. Oh goodness a lot to unpack there again. I'm gonna recommend that you call the office because it sounds like there's some real idiosyncratic or individual circumstances Associated with both of those employees as it relates to implementation, either of the family sick leave family leave or sick leave but also who may or may not apply be eligible for unemployment So unless Susie has something to offer, I'm gonna invite you to involve one of our case workers who have pretty deep expertise. On how to help people navigate through these situations, I have with regards to the workers and the question of access to unemployment insurance because it's a convenient or and providing food. it is an essential business and it has not been required to boost those individuals themselves are not personally ill or caring for somebody who is ill or in need of quarantine and so unfortunately, if they choose to not work would be considered a voluntary quit, they would not be eligible for. Insurance nor would they be eligible for Endemics employment assistance. I am gonna call in my phone, a friend The way Adams, who is participating as well who will be able to check my work so to speak and let me know if in fact, that was an accurate at least from what I heard it's however, those individuals were meeting pair for somebody had child care issues any number of different things. That would be other than I I don't feel safe if the employer is not providing the necessary precautions for safety and I would also point them to the labor and industries elements that have been rolled out to ensure people's safety. So it's nuanced and we're figuring it out. There is a possibility that they could qualify for for pandemic unemployment assistance At this point, it doesn't look like that we will post more clip. on that you want to a firm expand clarify on that joy is the phone a friend that's available only he worked in my shopping it's amazing thank you so much ah now I think it really does because that's one of those educations of it depends and exactly on the circumstances that the person is facing they may be able to make a good argument that ah they The separation reason that qualifies, but we just won't know until we know a little bit more about the situation. so that's worth applying if necessary, The only other thing that I would add to that is frankly a shout out to all the people who are working in essential services, especially that have high incidents of public interface and especially including convenient store employees, because they're helping to feed America right now and provide for their basic necessities. at a time when we. Know that the more interactions we have with other people, the higher the likelihood or chance that you will contact you will contract covid- 19, and so thank you for your work. It truly is helping to keep society going and it's my hope that also as a part of Cares, two point, Oh that we can have more emphasis on getting the personal protection equipment to everybody that needs it. And now we have a lot of discussion about doctors needed nurses needed people working as first responders. Or ambulance attendants people working in nursing homes and you go right on down the line, but there are other kinds of jobs too. Police officers, for example, and people who work in convenient stores. they all need to have adequate personal protective equipment. And before we get to the next question, we have the phone number for the offices in Thurston County is 36 zero 4598 514. That's those are our offices. These are our offices. These the caseworkers you're talking about and then the other phone number is 2535338 332 for Pierce County. Thank you Bobby. the next question comes in from a live viewer. Nicole asked if we're already getting. Unemployment do we need to do that extra stuff In other words, Commissioner Levine the steps you walk through earlier Nicole in order to receive the $600 you do not. however, if you do need the extra 13 weeks of benefits, you will just need to go into your account and after this Saturday, there will be an extra link that you can click and some steps to go through to basically apply for and receive the authorization for the additional 13 weeks of extended benefits. Susie to clarify on that if I'm in the first 26 weeks, I don't need to do this till I get to the end because I don't know whether I'll be working or not right. so it's not an immediate concern for somebody nope. you don't need to take any action right away if you're benefits are coming to an end if you're good to clarify 20 - 620 - six months if you've been on unemployment insurance that amount of time you can extend it by. About three months and there will be a link with which to do so or if that runs out some of the next anytime until the end of year, you get to extend your benefits through 13 additional weeks up until the end of the year. Another question for you Susie let's say I wait. I'm I'm a pandemic unemployment assistance applicant. I'm gonna wait til Sunday just to give you a Saturday to lift it off and I have everything in order and I submit it. I checked everybody. And you approve how many days before I get my first benefit seven to 10 days working days or period. Period. I believe it period right now. Okay. Thank you Bobby. The next question is from Maggie via Facebook. I'm a real estate agent with the 1090 - nine. Our office is closed and I have underlying health conditions that prohibit me from going out except for absolute necessity May I file and are my benefits dependent on last year's income with that Randy did I hear Mickey Mickey Sorry so a couple of questions that you would Are you eligible? the answer would most likely be yet so please go to ESPN dot WA dot Gov go through the eligibility. Becker We go through the application checklist. Sign up for your secure access Washington accounts and to get on our Action Alert newsletter list. Those are the four things you can do right away in addition to that, in terms of what materials you'll need to submit yes, you're 2019 tax documentation would be the ideal wage barrera patient information. It would help us process that the more sort of packed oriented the information and more valid and generally known information, the faster we'll be able to approve it. so much joy to add a little bit and that is depending on the tax year. 2019 earnings is verified by tax return or 1090 - nine this declared by that and what we love. At either is is any four quarters in the past five quarter is what we look at so easiest will be 2019, but if instead you made more money, including this most recent quarter than you may wanna shift it, but that's for sort of that little extra that and that's the question I was gonna ask Bobby we've actually request if if you can repeat the four steps that we need to be repaired. This comes from Trevon Facebook, who's watching live and can you repeat them slowly So? He can take notes and Trevor just so you know this video will remain up on Congressman Heck's Facebook page but if if we I think there might have been a problem with the video feed earlier so Commissioner line, if you can just real quickly walk through those four steps, yes fabulous so for one, you can also just find all of this on ESD dot WA dot Gov or at our Facebook or our Twitter feed Facebook we are at. ESD and on Facebook and on Twitter at ESD WA, so you can find all this there, but number one sign up for our coverage Night alert to find that on our website number two, download and use our eligibility checker and this is where it will help you determine. are you eligible for unemployment insurance or do you need pandemic unemployment assistance? Number three, we have an application checklist that will help you be maximally prepared as you go through the application process and I will be the first to admit that applying for unemployment insurance is not simple. I wish it were. I mean really working hard on that and it is a system designed in the 19 thirties is complex and I look forward to thinking about what is the right system for the 20 thirties, But for right now, we are doing the very best that we can. Four sign up for a secure access Washington account down Sign up basically Sign up for your account You can get that out of the way as Michelle earlier pointed out in her question doesn't always go as straightforward as you'd like have a video to watch that you should watch before you sign up for your account so that you again can make sure that you understand what information those are the four things who's letter eligibility Checker. Secure access Washington Does that help wonderful thank you next question comes from Troy on Facebook. I had to lay off several construction workers. One worker had only been working for two months and had no other income from his past. Is he unable to get an unemployment and then another person I laid off had quick his other job to increase his income on my job, but I had to lay him off after three. Weeks of working for me, would he be able to get unemployment even though he quit a job by only three weeks ago moments like this that I feel like yes, you get benefits you benefit you it benefits. The good news is is that yes, one of the things that determines eligibility for Standard unemployment insurance is the number of hours that you've worked in the past year dependent on unemployment assistance. It extends benefits those otherwise not. And putting those with fewer than 680 hours, there is a calculator on the website that welcome to the maze. What your weekly benefit would be if you look out and were to say, here's what you're here's what your wages excuse me. so we do use that to determine the weekly benefit amount that individual will be able to provide their wages and we will then be able to determine what the weekly benefit amount will be individuals. They'll get the $600 Cares Act addition to that weekly benefit amount. Okay and the next question we're taking from a live viewer. Terry who asks I have already applied twice for unemployment insurance. I've been told that I am ineligible both times. I saw I had excuse me. I have a saw account and have provided my tax info. I have sent messages to explain that I'm an independent business owner. Do I reapply a third time after this coming Saturday? so if you already have your information to bid I believe that they were working through this very. Stereo and what we will need you to do is go into the application and you should be able to breathe through the unemployment insurance part of the application, and then there will be a link that allows you to go into sort of the second space. I'm gonna call on joy up here. Do I bring it on sure so Indiana this case since this person's already applied for unemployment insurance at least once we have that part. The system already done you've got your saw account. You have your information in the system after Saturday, you can come back into East services and you'll see a new link right in the Middle of the top part of the screen that says file for pandemic unemployment assistance you click that link and you go directly into the next phase that is meant for business owners and independent contractors and self-employed does that help. I'll add to that what will be nice is that we preach populate that I can save this information that you've already added six. For the provision of the pandemic unemployment assistance, it's somehow demonstrate that is eligible already for an experience before they qualify. So how we are implementing it is essential. Demonstrate the eligibility than to go into application for pandemic unemployment system. We've time for a couple more questions we're going to take from If if you are an on-call employee, this is from Michelle on Facebook if you're an on-call employee who works over 680 hours but has not been officially laid off and you are not working because your business is closed. Can you get unemployment? of course, there are different situations be evaluated, but basically the answer will be yes in some fashion the hours are reduced as a way what we would encourage you to do is the forceps that we described before and that eligibility Checker venue goes that you may actually that you're eligible employment insurance as it is today goes to do that application if you are determined to be ineligible, then. As joy just shared, you'll be able to then come when the upgrade is done to see the link and be able to provide the extended and expanded unemployment assistance, but we weren't applying for insurance down through that process prepared first to get your whole application checklist done and it maybe that you actually can ask unemployment in the new upgrades. The next question is from Eliana, who is watching live. My unemployment is still active. However, the benefits were exhausted mid March. I still file a claim weekly is there is there anything else I need to continue doing? I think that you're good to go Eliana in terms of that should be able to access the additional 13 but you'll need to do go back into your account. There should be a new link for you would. For this extended set of benefits and it's additional certain weeks anything to add to that. Note. That's the key it will be in the place of where the previous link has been for file Your weekly claim will be that new link for file for PEC or whatever we're gonna call it on the website minutes and will that 13 weeks be available to her at the enhanced $600 per week level. Yes everybody who is receiving some form from a dollar on up of unemployment assistance. the incremental six hundred dollars thanks for working Congress Congress no question from Facebook live if we start working again before you put the six hundred dollars that it ah that have been collecting unemployment for a month prayer will be still get the back pain to help with the death not working you will be paid eligibility file your weekly claim you in that weekly claim so share whether you Work or any compensation in that week for those weeks, for which you have filed a claim and have not had compensation will receive the benefits in terms of the additional $600 that gets paid against the retroactive week to the date of eligibility until you are no longer unemployment on unemployment insurance receiving a minimum of at least a dollar a week. so, for example, say you get some level of employment, but it is not enough to redeem. basically based on what you are bringing in from an income standpoint against the benefit exact deductions till leave you with twenty dollars of a weekly benefit you get six hundred dollar incremental fit on top of that We have another Facebook live question will our 2018 taxes be sufficient since we haven't filed 2019 yet we had to postpone finalizing our 2019 federal tax filing due to the pandemic crisis. so do we need to do we need to rely on our 2019 taxes? That's from Canada. you need to find your 2019 wages the 2019 tax filing provides a convenient mechanism. Those is your 2018 tax filing will not be sufficient. We need. Wages so whether it's 1090, -, nine forms or some other form of documentation that shows what you made the best 12 months at is the key that we need for that wage verification. so Susie some people get a pay stub that shows all their wages for the year and their deductions is that sufficient Perfect and from Facebook live as well, This is Audrey once I apply for pandemic unemployment assistance do what I have to continue to apply each week. You will need to file a weekly image actually one of the questions that we're getting the unprecedented expansion of employment insurance utilization in this crisis. Most people have never used unemployment before and it's and it feels very unnatural and they think. I signed up Where's my money am. I not getting my money. you actually have to file a weekly claim you file it on Sundays and we're gonna start sending reminders to folks so that people know time to time to follow my weekly claims because there is information that we need. maybe you took a vacation days. Maybe you did earn a little bit of money. Other compensation might have come into play. It would then deduct against that amount, so even if you've been approved and it's gotten your first check every week you need. File Another weekly claim now the good news is is that basically an automated process, so there's not human intervention that needs to get between you and filing that weekly claim and getting your money so Susie are there gonna be as many boxes to populate or will there be one that in effect, says absolutely no change in my status in the last week, Click here benefit Rolls Ford or do you actually have to go through and fill it out in its entirety again the weekly club. Is different from the initial application and the weekly claim ask questions that we need answered on a weekly basis and you can't just say just like last week, there's still questions that get asked, including another one that we've received a lot of because again. the The weekly claim is saying, where is my money you have to file a week playing another question that we've gotten. We still have the question about how you search spray job on the weekly claims filing and it's okay if you answered. It doesn't include you from getting your weekly claim because we wave job search right now. that seems to be one that has been founding for some folks I totally understand but so you do need to fill up the whole week and every week it's a shortened version that says, Are you still on a plate? What did you earn last week? Did you search for a job in the things that that needs to be filled out on a weekly basis? Do we have time for one more question before we go to closing remarks? this is from Jennifer. I'm a sole proprietor with two part-time employees on the books. My employees are already approved to collect unemployment, but I have been denied for unemployment because I didn't pay into the unemployment system, though I have paid my payroll taxes beyond no taxes and self-employment tax for the past 18 years, I know that the current unemployment system is not set up yet to handle clean such as mine, but please explain how employment security will determine how much unemployed unemployment insurance. I can receive well, what will they be working off? We will be working off of what your wage was or what it was that you earn over the course of the 12 months. and so that is how we will be able to gauge the weekly benefit amount that you would receive using the pandemic expanded symptoms insurance. That's that's basically how we will handle that calculation and as a follow-up question, if if it is a a a micro business, a startup where they don't they're not collecting income. how would how would that be handled? Good question. Let me go to my phone a friend Joy any guidance on this one choice. can we reframe the question one more time if they're working in their own startup business, but haven't drawn a salary yet do they still qualify? Yes, they do because they had employment. They do still qualify for pandemic unemployment assistance. It will be at the minimum level, which is the 230 - five plus the 600, but they will get Okay, I learned something new. That's it for questions Congressman heck if you want to haven't have any closing remarks and Commissioner Levine and that will be it let's go with Let's go with Commissioner Levine first, Please Susie. That's appropriate for you to have the last word understand so first off. Thank you so much for having me in this town Hall. It is so important to be able to have that direct your constituents and to answer their questions so many people are hurting. Deep right now, but I still appreciate their abiding by the state home and still stay healthy order. It's working the curve flattening and together we will get through this. We are working very hard, but we can get you some economic security and some employment security right now and give you some peace of mind by teams working around the clock this weekend. We're gonna roll up. I mention that hopefully will help hundreds of thousands across. I think we ask for your patience we ask for your face. We do this with the acceptable levels of the man, but we also ask for you to go to the website. ESD dot WA dot Gov and go through and sign up for our action alerts go through and do the eligibility checker those when do the application process as and sign up for a sister act as Washington because the more prepared the fact that your money so sad. You again, I am so humbled to be able to serve all of you. I appreciate the opportunity. Congressman Heck thank you. Susie. It's hard not to call you Ambassador Levine given that that was your most recent and distinguish role, but we're so very, very glad and grateful that you are in the position. you are. thank you for joining us today in my personal expression of gratitude to all the employees at the Employment Security Department working around the clock to get this thing set to go and to help people and thank you for joining us here. I appreciate that very much as well. we are in an unusual situation that is to say the least challenging and stressful. I already talked about the numbers of the unemployment applications that George in historic terms, anything that ever occurred before, but as a consequence, we've been asked to swallow swallow some very, very bitter pills to get ahead of this thing and as Commissioner Levine suggested is working, you will all remember that not that long ago, Washington State, which was ground zero for the Covid- 19 virus, was the number one state in the nation both. In terms of those who had been who had contracted, Cohen, 19, and the number of deaths, we're now fall, we fallen off the top 10 list for both of those categories because we've taken these strong measures thanks to the leadership frankly of Governor Inslee, but it is tough and and people are facing challenges on a daily basis unlike they ever have before progress is being made progress will continue to be made so thanks again for joining us today. Stay tuned for future Teletown Hall. That we may announce or make publicly available to you on other subjects related to our efforts to cope with the cover 19 virus. Thanks again for joining us. Thank you. Bye.