National Signing Bonus Act of 2021
This bill replaces existing Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation payments for unemployed individuals with two-time signing bonuses for newly employed individuals.
Specifically, the bill allows states to provide up to two direct payments to individuals who are eligible for Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation prior to commencing employment with a new employer. The individual must continue employment with the new employer for at least four weeks before July 4, 2021, to be eligible for the first $1,212 payment under the bill and for at least eight weeks before July 4, 2021, to be eligible for the final $1,212 payment.
The bill otherwise eliminates federal reimbursement for Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation payments.
[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1557 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1557
To support both workers and recovery by converting expanded Federal
unemployment payments into signing bonuses.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
May 11, 2021
Mr. Sasse introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Finance
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To support both workers and recovery by converting expanded Federal
unemployment payments into signing bonuses.
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 ``National Signing Bonus Act of
2021''.
SEC. 2. NATIONAL SIGNING 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 up to 2 lump-sum payments (in this paragraph
referred to as the `first lump-sum payment' and the
`second 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 National
Signing Bonus Act of 2021; and
``(II) at least the 8 weeks
immediately preceding the week under
subclause (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--
``(aa) in the case of the
first lump-sum payment, the
individual's first qualifying
period; and
``(bb) in the case of the
second lump-sum payment, the
individual's second qualifying
period; and
``(II) remains employed with an
intent to continue such employment.
``(B) Amount.--
``(i) First lump-sum payment.--With respect
to the first qualifying period, a payment made
to an individual under this paragraph shall be
paid in a lump sum amount of $1,212.
``(ii) Second lump-sum payment.--With
respect to the second qualifying period, a
payment made to an individual under this
paragraph shall be paid in a lump sum amount of
$1,212.
``(C) Qualifying periods.--
``(i) First qualifying period.--For
purposes of this paragraph, the term `first
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.
``(ii) Second qualifying period.--For
purposes of this paragraph, the term `second
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) (with
the same employer with whom the
individual qualified for the first
lump-sum payment under this paragraph);
and
``(II) extending at least 8
consecutive weeks from such date.
``(D) Duration.--A first or second lump-sum payment
may not be made to any individual under this paragraph
with respect to a first or second qualifying period
beginning on or after July 4, 2021.
``(E) Employer verification required for both lump-
sum payments.--Before making the first and second 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 applicable qualifying
period.
``(F) Limitation.--A State may not provide more
than one first lump-sum payment and one second lump-sum
payment under this paragraph to an individual.
``(G) Special rule.--Payments made pursuant to an
agreement under this paragraph shall not be considered
to violate the withdrawal requirements of section
303(a)(5) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.
503(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 and 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.''.
<all>
Introduced in Senate
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
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