March 20, 2020 10:30 a.m.
The Oregon Employment Department is addressing aspects of filing for unemployment during the COVID-19 situation.
A release said the agency’s mission is to support business and to promote employment.
The release said unemployment insurance benefits are provided to most workers who are out of work through no fault of their own. To get benefits, workers must meet some requirements. In general, to claim and receive unemployment benefits for a week, workers must be available for work, able to work, and actively looking for work they can do. On Thursday the OED enacted temporary rules to give more flexibility in providing benefits to workers affected by COVID-19.
The release said unemployment benefits are available during temporary layoffs related to COVID-19 situations. These benefits occur for employees whose employer stops operation for a short period of time, such as cleaning, following coronavirus exposure, or by government requirement. Workers can get unemployment benefits and do not need to seek work with other employers if their place of employment will resume operations. To receive benefits, affected workers must still be able to work, stay in contact with their employer and be available for work when they are called back. A full resource guide with questions and answers about specific COVID-19 related situations and unemployment benefits is available at: https://www.oregon.gov/employ/Pages/default.aspx The site also has information for filing an online claim.