27 April 2020 Montana Executive Order provides UI benefits for employees impacted by COVID-19, employer accounts will not be charged for benefits Montana Governor Steve Bullock ordered the release of emergency rules to temporarily waive certain provisions of the state's unemployment insurance (UI) law to provide for flexibility as outlined by the US Department of Labor to support workers and businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, the Executive Order waives the requirement that UI benefit recipients search for work, eliminates the waiting week to be eligible for UI benefits and stipulates that COVID-19 UI benefits are not charged to employers' accounts. (Montana Administrative Register 24-11-355.) According to the Governor's press release the emergency rules allow employees who are directed by their employer to leave work or not report to work due to COVID-19 to qualify as being temporarily laid off by the employer and eligible for UI benefits. Employees who are required to quarantine or who need to take care of a family member due to COVID-19 are also considered temporarily laid off and eligible for UI benefits. Additionally, the emergency rules allow Montana Department of Labor and Industry to waive the one-week waiting period before receiving benefits to ensure Montanans don't experience a long gap without a paycheck. To assist employers, individual UI benefit claims made in connection with COVID-19 will not be chargeable to a specific employer's account and the Department is given authority to extend the time employers have to file wage reports and pay unemployment insurance contributions if the delay is related to COVID-19. Access the COVID-19 unemployment insurance resources here.
Document ID: 2020-1124 | |||||||||||
