Strengthening Unemployment Programs to Provide Opportunities for Recovery and Training for New Workers Act

“(4) Newly employed worker allowance

“(A) In general—Any agreement under this section shall provide that the State agency of the State will, in addition to payments described in paragraph (1), make up to 9 weekly payments for each week during the benefit period, in the amount of $180, to each individual who—

“(i) was eligible for Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation under paragraph (1) or for pandemic unemployment assistance under section 2102 for any week ending on or after the date of enactment of this paragraph;

“(ii) is no longer so eligible (as determined by the State), as a result of earnings due to commencing employment; and

“(iii) remains employed, as verified by the individual (with notice of such payments provided to the individual’s employer) on at least a biweekly basis, throughout the benefit period.

“(B) Benefit period—For purposes of this paragraph, the term benefit period means, with respect to an individual, a period—

“(i) beginning on the date the individual commenced employment as described in subparagraph (A)(ii); and

“(ii) ending on September 6, 2021.

“(C) Timing of payments

“(i) In general—Payments for which an individual is eligible under this paragraph (including a one-time lump sum payment as described in clause (ii)) shall be made as soon as practicable after the individual has commenced employment as described in subparagraph (A)(ii).

“(ii) One-time payment exception—In any case in which a State certifies to the Secretary that payments under subparagraph (A) cannot be implemented, due to administrative challenges, before the date that is 3 weeks after the date of enactment of this paragraph, such State may elect, in lieu of making the payments described in such subparagraph, to make a one-time lump sum payment to each individual described in clauses (i) and (ii) of such subparagraph in an amount equal to the product of $180 multiplied by the number of weeks in the individual’s benefit period.

“(D) Conditions of repayment—In any case in which an individual who receives a payment under this paragraph after commencing employment voluntarily separates from such employment before the date that is 6 weeks after the date of such payment, such individual shall be ineligible for regular compensation and any unemployment benefits described in subsection (i)(2) until such time as the individual repays all payments received under this paragraph to the State agency, except that this subparagraph shall not apply if the individual voluntarily separated from employment for the purpose of—

“(i) quarantining due to a COVID-19 infection or recovering from a COVID-19 infection;

“(ii) caring for a relative who has contracted COVID-19 or a child whose school or day care center is closed because of COVID-19; or

“(iii) avoiding contraction of COVID-19 as a result of unsafe working conditions that violate OSHA health and safety regulations.

“(E) Special rule—Payments made pursuant to an agreement under this paragraph shall not be considered to violate the withdrawal requirements of section 303(a)(5) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 503(a)(5)) or section 3304(a)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.”