Many Americans are still waiting for their Economic Impact Payment and you may be one of them. Some people are not receiving a debit card in the mail instead of a check. This money is meant to provide relief due to the Coronavirus pandemic. It is possible that you may have already gotten your payment by direct deposit or by check. If you’re still waiting, it is important that you check your mail carefully because some payments are arriving in plain envelopes that may look to you like junk mail.

Overcoming the challenges of gaps in treatment and access to health care has been exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic. By working together, the House and Senate have responded with a comprehensive bill, with bipartisan support, that will help close those gaps while informing our future decisions to prevent inequalities from happening in the first place.

Tobin Bridge/Chelsea Curves Rehabilitation Project Updates from Massachusetts Department of Transportation.

Construction Look-Ahead: May 31 – June 13, 2020 

This is a brief overview of construction operations and traffic impacts for the Tobin Bridge/Chelsea Curves Rehabilitation Project. MassDOT will provide additional notices as needed for high-impact work, temporary ramp and street closures, and changes to traffic configurations beyond those described below.

ROUTE 1 TRAFFIC IMPACTS
ROUTE 1 NORTHBOUND: Approaching the Tobin Bridge from Boston, the work zone begins in the left lane. 2 of 3 travel lanes will be open during daytime hours (5 a.m.–10 p.m.)
ROUTE 1 SOUTHBOUND: Approaching the Chelsea Curves from the North Shore, the work zone begins in the left lane before the Carter Street off-ramp. 2 of 3 travel lanes will be open during daytime hours (5 a.m.–10 p.m.)

CARTER STREET RAMP WEEKEND CLOSURES
The Carter Street off-ramp will be closed on Saturday, 6/13. Work will begin at 7 a.m. and end at 7 a.m. Traffic will be detoured to the Route 16 West exit towards Everett to take Revere Beach Parkway to Everett Avenue.
SILVER LINE ALTERNATING SINGLE LANE BUS TRAFFIC
The Silverline busway will continue to have single lane bus traffic where the Line passes through the Silverline Gateway underneath the Chelsea Viaduct. This single lane bus traffic will help to facilitate safe bridge construction.
Silverline service will be maintained without interruption or delay using alternating direction bus traffic. The alternation of direction will be controlled by MBTA police and flaggers. The single, alternating lane condition is projected to be in place through Friday, 6/12.

LOCAL STREET CLOSURES
ARLINGTON STREET: Arlington Street under Route 1 will be closed on 6/1 (7 a.m. – 11 p.m.). Signed detours and police details will guide drivers around the work zone via Spruce Street and Everett Ave. ORANGE STREET: Orange Street under Route 1 will be closed on Saturday 5/30 at 10 p.m. until Monday 6/1 at 5 a.m. 5th STREET: 5th Street under Route 1 will be closed on 6/11 during the nighttime (9:00 p.m. – 5 a.m.)

WORK HOURS Most work will occur during daytime working hours (7:00 a.m.–3:30 p.m.) on weekdays. Some work will take place on a 2nd shift (2 p.m.–1 a.m.) and overnight hours (9 p.m.–5 a.m.) and on Saturdays (7 a.m.–7 p.m).

DESCRIPTION OF SCHEDULED WORK
ROUTE 1 NORTHBOUND: Bridge deck and gutter repairs continue in the left lane over the Tobin Bridge. We will continue to remove bridge deck and install new bridge deck through the Chelsea Curves.
ROUTE 1 SOUTHBOUND: Removal of existing bridge deck and installation of new bridge deck will continue through the Chelsea Curves.

UNDERNEATH ROUTE 1: Crews will replace and paint steel; power wash and paint columns and support beams; excavate, erect steel; place new concrete columns; and deliver steel beams from the new bridge deck. For more information about the Tobin Bridge/Chelsea Curves Rehabilitation Project, please visit the project website: https://www.mass.gov/tobin-bridgechelsea-curves-rehabilitation-project.

North Washington Street Bridge Replacement Project
Traffic Impacts: May 31 – June 13

N. WASHINGTON STREET INBOUND: Off-peak daytime lane reductions across the bridge and additional lane reductions at Keany Square will continue. One lane across the bridge and all turn movements will be available from 10 a.m.–2 p.m. on weekdays.

N. WASHINGTON STREET OUTBOUND: Off-peak daytime lane reductions will continue across the bridge to City Square. One lane across the bridge and all turn movements will be available from 7 a.m.–2 p.m. on weekdays. For more information about the North Washington Street Bridge Replacement Project, please visit: https://www.mass.gov/north-washington-street-bridge-replacement

TRAVEL TIPS
Drivers should take care to pay attention to all signage and move carefully through the work zone. Police details, lane markings, temporary barriers, traffic cones, signage, and other tools will be used to control traffic and create safe work zones

Phase II of Re-opening Plan Outlined by Baker-Polito Administration

Guidance for Restaurants and Lodging 

Today, the Baker-Polito Administration provided an update on the Reopening Massachusetts plan and preparations for Phase II. The Administration will determine the start of Phase II on June 6th.

On Monday, Governor Charlie Baker will issue an executive order with a detailed list of sectors that fall into each phase. The order will allow Phase II businesses to bring back employees in preparation for re-opening. Through this order, professional sports teams can begin practicing at their facilities in compliance with the health and safety rules that all the leagues are developing. Facilities remain closed to the public.

Learn more about the reopening process: www.mass.gov/reopening

Restaurant and Lodging Guidance: The Administration today issued workplace safety standards for restaurants and lodging. These workplace specific safety standards are organized around four distinct categories covering Social Distancing, Hygiene Protocols, Staffing and Operations and Cleaning and Disinfecting.

Restaurants: Outdoor dining will begin at the start of Phase II. Indoor dining will begin later within Phase II, subject to public health data. Even when indoor seating is permitted, use of outdoor space will be encouraged for all restaurants.

Social distancing guidance includes spacing tables six feet apart with a maximum party size of six people. The use of bars, except for spaced table seating, will not be permitted. For hygiene protocols, utensils and menus should be kept clean through single use or with strict sanitation guidelines, reservations or call ahead seating is recommended and contactless payment, mobile ordering or text on arrival for seating will also be encouraged.

Restaurants will be expected to follow cleaning and disinfecting guidelines, in accordance with CDC guidance. This includes closing an establishment temporarily if there is a case of COVID-19 in an establishment.

Lodging: Hotels, motels and other lodging businesses will be allowed to expand their operations in Phase II. Lodging safety standards apply to all forms of lodging including hotels, motels, inns, bed and breakfasts, short term residential rentals including Airbnb and VRBO.

Event spaces, like ballrooms and meeting rooms, will remain closed. On-site restaurants, pools, gyms, spas, golf courses and other amenities at lodging sites may operate only as these categories are authorized to operate in accordance with the phased re-opening plan. Lodging operators also must inform guests of the Commonwealth’s policy urging travelers to self-quarantine for 14 days when arriving from out-of-state.

On May 18th, the Baker-Polito Administration released Reopening Massachusetts, the Reopening Advisory Board’s report, which details a four-phased strategy to responsibly reopen businesses and activities while continuing to fight COVID-19.

Nationwide Unemployment Scam Targets Massachusetts Claimants

Criminal enterprises in possession of stolen personal information from earlier national data breaches have been attempting to file large amounts of illegitimate unemployment claims through the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance (DUA) system. This is part of a national unemployment fraud scheme.

The Department of Unemployment Assistance (DUA) has begun implementing additional identity verification measures that will temporarily delay the payment timeframe for many unemployment claims in Massachusetts. As a result of these measures, certain unemployment claimants may be asked to provide additional identity information in order to verify the validity of their claim.

“Protecting the integrity of the unemployment system and ensuring benefits are going only to valid claimants is the top priority of the Department of Unemployment Assistance,” said Labor and Workforce Development Secretary Rosalin Acosta. “While the program integrity measures we are taking will unfortunately mean that some claimants will experience temporary delays in payment, we believe these steps are necessary to respond to this unemployment scam. We are working rapidly to respond to this scheme and urge individuals who may have had a false unemployment claim filed in their name to contact the Department.”

Individuals who believe they may have had a false unemployment claim filed using their identity are urged to utilize the Department of Unemployment Assistance fraud contact form at mass.gov/unemployment-fraud or to call the DUA customer service department at 877-626-6800.

Additional updates related to this criminal activity will be posted at mass.gov/unemployment as soon as they are available.

Legislature Passes Bill to Provide Relief and Improve Access to Unemployment Benefits

The Massachusetts Legislature on Thursday May 21, 2020, passed a bill that will provide additional Unemployment Insurance (UI) relief to low-income families, non-profit institutions and employers. The legislation now moves on to the governor.

An Act Providing Additional Support to Those Affected by the Novel Coronavirus Through the Unemployment Insurance System builds on UI legislation already signed into law that waived the one-week waiting period to receive benefits.

“From the outset of this public health pandemic, our focus has been on easing the burdens felt by working families, and this thoughtfully crafted bipartisan legislation exemplifies that commitment,” stated Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). “With this legislation, we are taking steps to ensure Massachusetts workers and employers can maximize the benefits available to them through state and federal actions. I am thankful to my Senate colleagues as well as Speaker DeLeo and his members for their work in moving this legislation one step closer to becoming law.”

“This bill protects employers, including non-profits, and workers as we deal with the economic crisis in the wake of COVID-19,” said House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo (D-Winthrop). “I thank Chair Michlewitz, Chair Ferrante, Vice Chair Hay, Senate President Spilka, and my colleagues in the House and Senate for their work on this important UI Bill.”

“With the passage of this bill, the Senate is building on its commitment to support the workers and business owners of the Commonwealth who are struggling with the financial impacts of COVID-19,” said Senator Michael J. Rodrigues (D- Westport), Co-Chair of the Joint Committee on Ways & Means. “I applaud my colleagues in the Senate and the House for continuing to work collaboratively to provide relief to the state’s most vulnerable citizens during this challenging time.”

“Unemployment benefits are a critical lifeline in an economic storm and the pandemic has brought into sharp focus the importance of having a sound unemployment insurance system that responds effectively to people depending on it,” said Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R- Gloucester). "The measures contained in this bill will go a long way to strengthening our system and helping individuals and families when they need it most.”

The legislation builds off the legislature’s ongoing efforts to address the COVID-19 public health crisis and its impact on workers and follows the passage of the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), which significantly increased UI benefits and expands eligibility during the coronavirus pandemic.”

"Clearly, Covid-19 has presented many challenges to the Commonwealth. Chief among them are protecting residents from a potential life threatening virus, financial ruin and hunger. In Massachusetts and across the country, we have seen unparalleled levels of unemployment,” said Representative Ann-Margaret Ferrante, Co-Chair of the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies (D-Gloucester). “As our residents try to navigate an enormously difficult health care and economic crisis, this unemployment legislation allows the Commonwealth to work more effectively with the business and non-profit communities by streamlining unemployment regulations and mitigating costs while simultaneously tending to the needs of residents, who may require additional time to return to work."

“The economic fallout from the COVID-19 global pandemic has been devastating, with over one million Massachusetts residents filing for unemployment and businesses struggling to survive. This bill takes additional steps to assist residents and employers impacted by the pandemic,” said House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (R-North Reading). “It allows for a four-week extension in benefits if new unemployment claims filed in any week exceed 100,000, and lays the groundwork for lifting the dependency cap. It also protects employers from being penalized and hit with rate increases if they are forced to lay off workers due to the pandemic. This bill will help families and businesses as we continue to navigate through this unprecedented public health crisis.”

The components of the bill are as follows: Protection for Employers. Employers who participate in UI pay contributions based on their layoff experience. Like other forms of insurance, employers that are more likely to have workers use unemployment compensation are asked to pay more in the system. The system does not anticipate a situation where employers across a number of sectors have been forced to significantly reduce their workforces due to situations outside of their control. This bill prevents layoffs related to coronavirus from negatively impacting employer’s future UI contributions.

Extending Unemployment Benefit Period. The number of weeks of unemployment compensation available in Massachusetts is tied to unemployment rates around the state. This trigger did not anticipate a situation, however, in which unemployment grows rapidly in a very short period of time. This bill ensures that the 30-week benefit period is triggered by a significant uptick in weekly unemployment claims.

Lifting the Cap on Dependency Allotment. This bill eliminates the 50% cap for the dependency allotment providing additional benefits to low-income families. This increase will be in addition to the $600 per week benefit add-on provided for in the CARES Act for all workers eligible for state or federal benefits. This provision is effective for 18 months after the end of COVID-19 emergency and the end of enhanced federal benefits.

Currently, UI recipients are entitled to an additional $25 per week for each child in the family, capped at 50% of a recipient’s base allotment. The result is that workers with particularly low allotments, such as low wage workers, can easily be capped out of receiving these additional amounts.

Non-Profit Contribution Grace Period. Presently, many non-profits self-insure for unemployment claims. This means that when layoffs in the sector occur, non-profits pay the cost of those benefits dollar for dollar at the next billing period. This bill provides a 120-day grace period for non-profits to make these contributions. This delay will allow the state to review additional changes that are warranted to mitigate the impact on non-profits. The CARES Act provides 50% reimbursement for self-insured benefit payments during the Coronavirus crisis.

An Act Providing Additional Support to Those Affected by the Novel Coronavirus Through the Unemployment Insurance System now moves to the governor for consideration.

Massachusetts Implements Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC)

Finalizes Implementation of all CARES Act Benefits For Unemployment Claimants in Massachusetts

The Baker-Polito Administration announced today that Massachusetts residents who are eligible for the federal CARES Act and qualify for having exhausted their regular unemployment compensation may now receive the new Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC). The launch of this program marks the third and final benefit available for the Commonwealth through the CARES Act.

PEUC provides up to 13 additional weeks of benefits to an individual who has exhausted all rights to any regular unemployment compensation and who meets other eligibility requirements of the CARES Act. PEUC will automatically begin for individuals who have been receiving regular standard unemployment benefits on an active claim and those benefits are exhausted, and those individuals do not have to take any further action.

If an individual’s standard unemployment claim has expired, they must file a new standard claim. If the individual is monetarily eligible on the new standard claim, regardless of the benefit rate amount, they will receive benefits from that new claim. Otherwise, the individual will be eligible for PEUC on the prior claim and it will be automatically implemented.

Individuals who exhausted their standard benefits but were receiving benefits through Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) must apply to claim weekly benefits. Residents should apply through the standard unemployment benefits portal available here.

Those receiving PEUC will also receive $600 weekly through the week ending July 25, 2020, provided by the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) program established by the CARES Act.

The CARES Act signed into law on March 27, 2020, established the PEUC, PUA and FPUC public benefit programs that expanded unemployment eligibility, temporarily increases weekly benefits for all claimants and allows additional categories of people to claim unemployment benefits. This is the largest expansion of assistance for the Commonwealth’s workforce since the Great Depression.

More information about Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation can be found at mass.gov/peuc.