Further Pandemic Relief Must be Passed in 2021 and that relief should be retroactive, People-focused, and extended until the pandemic is over. It should:

• Fill in the gap created by months of government inaction and not solved due to the lack of retroactivity in the December relief bill.
• Cover retroactivity for all unemployed and underemployed people, as well as low-wage essential workers in one solution so that all causes benefit and no issue is pitted against the other.
• Extend comprehensive worker-focused relief until the pandemic is over.
• Allow for sensible economic triggers for the end of benefits, rather than arbitrary dates.

Why?
8 million more people in America were shoved into poverty after the FPUC expired.
40 million people are at risk of losing their homes.
50 million people in American are food insecure.
Millions have lost healthcare, are behind on rent or bills, or have accrued high interest credit card debt to afford their basic needs.

The relief that was passed in December was not enough, will expire again soon leaving people STILL panicking, and included no retroactivity to help people dig themselves out of the deep debt of the past 5+ months of government inaction.

What Will Be Done With This Petition?
A detailed version of the proposal with the following demands will be sent directly to all legislators in the US Congress. We need your signatures and support to ensure they read it.

The 2021 Relief Bill Must Include:

1. A retroactive relief solution for all unemployed and underemployed workers, as well as low-wage essential workers. This should be a direct payment or refundable tax rebate payable immediately.
        Why? FPUC expired July 25: $600 x 23 weeks = $13,800
                   Monthly stimulus checks: $1200 x 8 months = $9,600
                    $2000 x 8 months = $16,000

2. Additional weeks of PUA, PEUC, and FPUC at the full $600 until the pandemic is over. Unemployment benefits should tier off in response to workforce and economic recovery triggers, rather than a predetermined date. They should be based on actual unemployment, not the official rate, and take into consideration hard hit industries that will have to wait for industry recovery.

3. Direct cash aid going forward until the pandemic is over.

4. Work search requirements waived and unsafe job refusal eligibility extended in all states until the pandemic is over.

5. Unemployment and direct aid coverage expanded to all affected workers in the US, regardless of their immigration status or work history.

6. More robust rent relief and a long term eviction moratorium.
   Eligibility requirements should include all affected people, including, but not limited to, low income families. It should not be based on pre-pandemic income.

7. Further food assistance measures including extending enhanced SNAP benefits and expanding eligibility, expanding minimum and maximum payments, and suspending job-related requirements.

8. Healthcare relief including:
   -100% subsidy for the COBRA program to protect workers’ healthcare. Extension of eligibility to 36 months.  
   -Expansion of Medicaid and requiring, not just allowing, all states to extend Medicaid coverage for COVID-19 testing to the uninsured.  
   -A continued open enrollment period until the pandemic is over for all people to access or change their health insurance based on their new financial situations.

9. Reinstatement of paid leave due to COVID-19.

10. We do NOT want corporate immunity in any liability legislation. Endangering workers is not an acceptable provision of a relief bill.

We want empathy and leadership from the American government during a global pandemic.

Weird, we know.

This petition was created as part of comprehensive relief efforts by ExtendPUA.org. We are unemployed workers advocating for the relief we all need. Join us and take more action at ExtendPUA.org