Democrats’ Plan Offers $1,400 Stimulus Checks at Same Income Levels as Previous Rounds

Congress votes to repeal labor law rule for independent contractors

House Democrats released the biggest piece of their coronavirus relief bill late Monday, offering a measure that would extend a $400-a-week unemployment insurance payment through Aug. 29 and send $1,400 per-person payments to most households without lowering the income thresholds from earlier rounds. Democrats have been debating whether to reduce those income levels, but the… Continue reading Democrats’ Plan Offers $1,400 Stimulus Checks at Same Income Levels as Previous Rounds

GAO Says Jobless Benefits Program Underpaid Some Workers Amid Covid-19 Pandemic

Unemployment pandemic fraud

The nation’s system for providing unemployment benefits to jobless workers has consistently produced inaccurate data and lower-than-appropriate payouts to some workers amid the Covid-19 pandemic, a government watchdog said Monday. The Labor Department’s weekly reports on jobless claims have published “flawed estimates of the number of individuals receiving benefits each week throughout the pandemic,” the… Continue reading GAO Says Jobless Benefits Program Underpaid Some Workers Amid Covid-19 Pandemic

New Stimulus Bill Faces Hurdles Over Liability Protections, Unemployment

Congress votes to repeal labor law rule for independent contractors

Stimulus talks between President Donald Trump’s representatives and Democrats bogged down Tuesday over demands by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell that his proposed changes to liability law be included wholesale in the aid package. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said McConnell’s insistence that his plan for shielding businesses, schools and other organizations against litigation stemming from… Continue reading New Stimulus Bill Faces Hurdles Over Liability Protections, Unemployment

McConnell Says No Recovery Bill without Lawsuit Protections for ‘Everyone Related to the Coronavirus’

Congress votes to repeal labor law rule for independent contractors

A new plan under development by the White House and Senate Republicans to deal with the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic is expected to include financial incentives to push schools to reopen while also shielding health care workers and companies against lawsuits, Republicans said Monday, a move that will spur a fight with Democrats. Senate… Continue reading McConnell Says No Recovery Bill without Lawsuit Protections for ‘Everyone Related to the Coronavirus’