[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3479 Introduced in House (IH)]
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117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3479
To incentivize American workers to seek and accept jobs, to aid the
economic recovery by converting Federal pandemic emergency unemployment
compensation into back to work bonuses, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 25, 2021
Mr. Budd introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Ways and Means
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To incentivize American workers to seek and accept jobs, to aid the
economic recovery by converting Federal pandemic emergency unemployment
compensation into back to work bonuses, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Back to Work Bonus Act''.
SEC. 2. BACK TO WORK BONUSES.
(a) In General.--Section 2104(b) of the CARES Act (15 U.S.C.
9023(b)) is amended--
(1) by redesignating paragraph (4) as paragraph (5); and
(2) by inserting after paragraph (3) the following:
``(4) Back-to-work bonuses.--
``(A) In general.--Any agreement under this section
may also provide that the State agency of the State may
make a lump sum payment to each individual who--
``(i) was eligible for Federal Pandemic
Unemployment Compensation under paragraph (1)
for--
``(I) any week beginning after the
date of enactment of the Back to Work
Bonus Act; and
``(II) at least 4 weeks immediately
preceding the week under clause (I);
``(ii) is no longer eligible for Federal
Pandemic Unemployment Compensation under
paragraph (1) (as determined by the State), as
a result of earnings due to commencing
employment with an employer by whom the
individual has not been employed during the
preceding 6 months; and
``(iii) as verified by the individual's
employer pursuant to subparagraph (E)--
``(I) has been employed by a non-
governmental employer throughout the
qualifying period; and
``(II) remains employed with an
intent to continue such employment.
``(B) Amount.--A payment made to an individual
under this paragraph shall be paid in a lump sum $900.
``(C) Qualifying period.--For purposes of this
paragraph, the term `qualifying period' means, with
respect to an individual, a period--
``(i) beginning on the date the individual
commenced employment as described in
subparagraph (A)(ii); and
``(ii) extending at least 4 consecutive
weeks from such date.
``(D) Duration.--A lump-sum payment may not be made
to any individual under this paragraph with respect to
a qualifying period beginning on or after August 14,
2021.
``(E) Employer verification required for lump-sum
payment.--Before making a lump-sum payment to an
individual pursuant to this paragraph, a State agency
shall require verification from the individual's
employer--
``(i) of the individual's employment
status;
``(ii) of the wages paid to the individual
during the applicable qualifying period; and
``(iii) of the hours worked by the
individual during the qualifying period.
``(F) Limitation.--A State may not provide more
than 1 lump-sum payment under this paragraph to an
individual.
``(G) Special rule.--A payment made pursuant to an
agreement under this paragraph shall not be considered
to violate the withdrawal requirements of section
303(a)(5) or section 3304(a)(4) of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986.''.
(b) Conforming Amendments.--Section 2104 of the CARES Act (15
U.S.C. 9023) is amended--
(1) in subsections (d) and (f), by inserting ``, payments
under subsection (b)(4)'' after ``Federal Pandemic Unemployment
Compensation'' each place it appears; and
(2) in subsection (g)--
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``and'' at the
end;
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking the period at the
end inserting ``; and''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(3) the purposes of the preceding provisions of this
section, as such provisions apply with respect to payments
under subsection (b)(4), shall be applied with respect to
unemployment benefits described in subsection (i)(2) to the
same extent and in the same manner as if those benefits were
regular compensation.''.
SEC. 3. SUNSETTING FEDERAL PANDEMIC UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION.
Section 2104(b)(3)(A)(ii) of the CARES Act (15 U.S.C.
9023(b)(3)(A)(ii)) is amended by striking ``September 6, 2021'' and
inserting ``the date of enactment of the Back to Work Bonus Act''.
SEC. 4. STRENGTHENING WORK SEARCH REQUIREMENTS.
(a) Modifying Pandemic Unemployment Assistance.--Section
2102(a)(3)(A)(ii)(I) of the CARES Act (15 U.S.C. 9021(a)(3)(A)(ii)(I))
is amended by striking items (aa) through (kk) and inserting the
following:
``(aa) the individual has
an active infection with COVID-
19;
``(bb) the individual
received an order from a
physician to quarantine due to
exposure to COVID-19; or
``(cc) the individual is
caring for a family member or a
member of the individual's
household described in items
(aa) or (bb); or''.
(b) Conforming Amendments.--Section 2102(c) of the CARES Act (15
U.S.C. 9021(c)) is amended by--
(1) inserting at the end of paragraph (6) the following:
``A State shall require proof of active infection or quarantine
order required by subsection (a)(3)(A)(ii)(I).''; and
(2) by redesignating paragraphs (5) and (6) as paragraphs
(4) and (5), respectively.
(c) Modifying Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation.--
Section 2107(a)(7) of the CARES Act (15 U.S.C. 9025(a)(7)) is amended
by striking subparagraph (B) and inserting the following:
``(B) Flexibility.--
``(i) Notwithstanding the requirements
under subparagraph (A) and paragraph (2)(D), a
State may provide flexibility in meeting such
requirements in case of individuals unable to
search for work because--
``(I) the individual has an active
infection with COVID-19;
``(II) the individual received an
order from a physician to quarantine
due to exposure to COVID-19; or
``(III) the individual is caring
for a family member or a member of the
individual's household described in
subclause (I) or (II).
``(ii) Prior to providing flexibility under
this subparagraph, a State shall require proof
of active infection or quarantine order
required by subclause (I) or (II).''.
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