What MD employers need to know about unemployment insurance and COVID-19

With all of the dramatic employment changes caused by the COVID-19 pandemic—including layoffs, business shutdowns, and mandatory work-from-home options—many Maryland employers and employees have questions about their pay and whether the employees would be eligible for unemployment benefits to make up for some of their lost income. Listed below are the answers provided by Maryland's Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation (DLLR) to some key questions many of us may have concerning lost work and income resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Questions and answers

If I need to take time off work because I contract COVID-19, will I be eligible for unemployment insurance benefits? No. You are not unemployed. The first and best option for employees who need to miss work due to illness is to use their paid time off (PTO). The Maryland Healthy Working Families Act requires employers with 15 or more employees to provide paid sick and safe leave for certain employees. Maryland employers who employ 14 or fewer employees are required to provide unpaid sick and safe leave for certain employees.

As a rule, once an individual becomes unemployed, they should apply for benefits immediately. Section 8-101 of Maryland's Unemployment Insurance Law states that claims are effective only from the week they are filed and won't be backdated. Therefore, if a claimant is eligible, she can only be paid benefits from the time she filed.