Hundreds of thousands of people in the D.C. area could find themselves temporarily out of work if Congress fails to reach a budget deal and prevent a government shutdown.
News4 is working for you with what you need to know if you get furloughed and need to apply for unemployment benefits.
Most federal workers and contractors will be eligible for unemployment.
Here’s where to apply for unemployment
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The most important thing to know about unemployment is that you file in the jurisdiction where you work, not where you live. Even if you’ve worked from home since the pandemic hit, you file where your office is located. That means most people in our region will file in D.C., even if they live in Maryland or Virginia.
Here’s when to apply for unemployment — and what you should do right now
The director of D.C. Department of Employment Services, Unique Morris-Hughes, recommended visiting the department’s website now.
“The day you're eligible to apply is the day the government shuts down, and when the government is officially unfunded, that's when people can start submitting unemployment insurance applications. To prepare in advance of this, I recommend visiting the website, checking the eligibility criteria,” she said.
How much are unemployment benefits?
Benefits vary by jurisdiction. Here’s info on the maximum benefits in the D.C. area.
- DC: $444 per week
- Maryland: $430 per week
- Virginia: $378 per week
’The District of Columbia is prepared’
The D.C. Department of Employment Services is preparing to receive what’s likely to be a tidal wave of unemployment applications, the director said. They’re seeking to avoid problems seen during the height of the pandemic.
“We’ve learned a whole lot of lessons since the pandemic, and, let me tell you, the District of Columbia is prepared and ready for a potential government shutdown. We have staff, we have call center staff that's ready to go,” she said.
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