An Act to increase unemployment insurance benefits for low wage workers

This bill increases unemployment benefits for low-wage workers by changing how benefits are calculated. It sets weekly benefits at 50% of a worker's average weekly wage (capped at 57.5% of the state average wage, with a minimum of 20% or 75% of the worker's own wage, whichever is lower). It reduces the total benefit cap from 30 times the weekly rate to 26 times during periods of low statewide unemployment (below 5.1% in 10 metro areas), while adding protections to prevent benefit reductions if eligibility requirements aren't met. These changes directly affect low-wage workers filing for unemployment during the 2023-2024 benefit year.