Contact
National Employment Law Project
90 Broad Street, Suite 1100, New York, NY 10004
Policy Advocacy Briefs
Use the policy advocacy briefs linked below to improve the UI program in your state. Each brief contains seven sections: key definitions; an overview of the topic; federal requirements and guidance; NELP’s recommendations for reforming current state policies; research findings and arguments to support reform; easy-to-follow information on how to find relevant data about UI in your state; and references and essential articles. The policy advocacy briefs are not intended to be exhaustive, but rather to highlight key recommendations and resources to advance UI policy reform.
The Dependent Allowance, Monetary Eligibility, and Overpayments and Waivers briefs have accompanying model state legislation. Go to Model State Legislation for suggested legislative text to implement the policy recommendations described in those policy advocacy briefs.
To learn more about how to improve your state’s UI program, contact uihelp@nelp.org. We welcome feedback on what resources are helpful as we develop additional content.
Benefit AmountsIncrease UI benefits so workers can survive on them. Benefit DurationGuarantee enough weeks of UI benefits so workers have time to find good jobs. Dependent AllowanceIncrease UI benefits for caregivers and their families. Financing and SolvencyEnsure adequate funding for state UI systems. Good Cause QuitsProvide UI benefits to workers compelled to quit their job. |
Monetary EligibilityEnsure all workers, including underpaid and part-time workers, are eligible for UI. Overpayments and WaiversEnsure workers are not unfairly forced to pay back long-spent UI benefits. Partial BenefitsSupport part-time workers by providing partial UI benefits. Suitable WorkEnsure workers counting on UI benefits are not forced into underpaid jobs. Work Search RequirementsMinimize unnecessary and burdensome state work search requirements for UI. |