UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE

The Unemployment Insurance Law provides for payment of benefits to qualified workers during periods of unemployment. In general, all employees in firms in which the employer had a payroll including the value of tips, meals, and lodging, commissions, and non-cash compensation of $300 or more during any calendar quarter are covered by unemployment insurance. Domestic workers are covered if their employer paid domestic employees cash wages of $500 or more in a calendar quarter.

Employees of non-profit religious, charitable, scientific, literary, or educational organizations are covered if their employers paid cash wages of $1,000 or more in a calendar quarter, or employed four or more persons on one day in each of 20 different weeks during a calendar year or the preceding calendar year. Farm workers are covered if their employer had a payroll of $20,000 or more in any calendar quarter or employed 10 or more persons on at least one day in each of 20 different weeks during a calendar year or the preceding calendar year, or is liable under the Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA) with respect to agricultural labor. Local government employees are covered without any qualifying conditions.

Exclusions - Certain workers are excluded from unemployment protection unless employed by a non-profit organization or governmental subdivision. These include daytime students in elementary and high schools who work after school, week-ends, or during vacation periods, baby sitters under the age of 18, all minors under l4 years of age, and golf caddies, unless employed by a non-profit organization or governmental subdivision.

Unemployment benefits depend upon the employee's average weekly wage, with a stipulated maximum. The cost of providing unemployment insurance benefits is met entirely by the employer. Claimants for unemployment benefits can file online or by phone at 1-888-209-8124.

Any unemployed worker may continue to receive unemployment payments while participating in an approved course of vocational training or basic education.