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Governor talks social distancing extension, new unemployment programs

LINCOLN – Monday, March 30, Governor Pete Ricketts held a press conference to announce that the State of Nebraska has extended statewide social distancing restrictions through April 30.  Earlier in March, the State of Nebraska issued social distancing restrictions for the entire state. In addition to these social distancing restrictions, 30 counties are currently covered by a Directed Health Measure.

At the news conference, Gov. Ricketts detailed new unemployment programs being implemented in Nebraska as a result of federal legislation to aid the pandemic response. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Donald J. Trump on March 27, 2020.

The Governor explained that the Nebraska Department of Labor (NDOL) is undertaking software changes and making other preparations to roll out the unemployment programs outlined in the CARES Act. Nebraska’s Labor Commissioner, John Albin, is working directly with the U.S. Department of Labor to expedite implementation of the unemployment programs.  At the Monday press briefing, Commissioner Albin joined the Governor to overview the unemployment programs contained in the CARES Act and to report on the state’s preparations to administer them.

Those programs include:

· Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) – Allows unemployment benefits to individuals who have exhausted all other unemployment benefits, and those not eligible for other unemployment benefits, including workers who are self-employed and independent contractors. The minimum PUA weekly payment will be $174 and top out at $440.

· Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) – This emergency increase in Unemployment Insurance Benefits adds $600 per week in federal benefits to the unemployment benefit amount for COVID-19 unemployment claims, including PUA claims.

· Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) – Allows 13 weeks of federally funded benefits to be added to the end of the normal 26 weeks of benefits.

· Short Time Compensation Programs (also known as Work Share) – Provides federal funding of Short-Time Compensation, a program that allows businesses to uniformly reduce their teammates’ hours while the workers receive a partial unemployment benefit.

Takeout Tuesdays

Governor Ricketts also signed a proclamation to designate every Tuesday from March 31 through the end of April 2020 as “Takeout Tuesday.”  The purpose of the proclamation is to encourage Nebraskans to support their local dining establishments as these restaurants continue to serve customers during the pandemic.

Gov. Ricketts also reiterated the State’s social distancing measures at the press conference.

· Some Local Health Departments (LHD) in Lincoln and metro Omaha have issued additional restrictions on social gatherings and/or businesses. Residents are urged to check with their LHD for additional information.  

· The 10-person limitation applies to outdoor gatherings like picnics or outdoor activities like sand volleyball.

· Travelers coming back to Nebraska from out of state should self-quarantine for 14 days.  This includes snowbirds returning to Nebraska after having spent the winter in places like Arizona, Florida or Texas.  However, the guidance to self-quarantine does not apply to commuters or workers in the transportation industry.

Tax Deadline Extended

Last week, Governor Pete Ricketts announced that Nebraskans will have until July 15, 2020, to pay state income taxes.  For Nebraskans impacted by COVID-19, this change will give them additional flexibility.  Nebraskans who are not impacted by the virus should consider filing by the traditional April 15 date.

Nebraska is following the lead of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) which recently granted federal income tax relief to taxpayers. The IRS has automatically extended the tax filing and payment deadlines for federal income taxes from April 15, 2020, to July 15, 2020. 

Childcare Options

On Thursday, March 26, Governor Pete Ricketts issued an executive order to expand access to childcare options during the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. 

The order is intended to activate nonprofits, faith-based organizations, and schools to help provide the care families need now.  It eases the licensing requirements to open and operate a temporary, non-residential child care in an alternative setting.  The executive order is effective immediately and will remain in place until 30 days after the State lifts the current COVID-19 state of emergency.

Daily Conferences

Each day at 2 p.m., Governor Rickets has been hosting a news conference which is streamed live at www.NETNebraska.org/capitol/ during which he provides an update on steps taken by the State of Nebraska to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

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