Republicans Would Cut Unemployment Payments in Virus Relief
- Plan gives states two months to shift benefit to 70% of wages
- Democrats oppose cutting current payment of $600 a week
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Senate Republicans propose cutting supplemental unemployment benefits to $200 weekly from $600 until states are able to create a system that would provide 70% of a laid-off worker’s previous pay up to a state-set cap, according to two people familiar with the plan.
The plan, which was agreed to by the Trump administration, calls for a two-month transition and then allows states to apply for a waiver for up to two additional months if they can’t implement the new calculation, according to the people, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the plan hasn’t been made public.