This story was last updated on April 14. 

The global coronavirus pandemic is putting a major halt to most parts of everyday life, from schools to health care systems to people’s paychecks. While some can continue to work from home, many in the service, hospitality, and food and beverage industries are seeing their incomes dwindle. And for perhaps as many as 20 percent of Americans, soon their jobs may completely disappear.

Unemployment insurance allows for recouping at least some of that lost income. Jointly run by the federal government and the individual states (or D.C.), the coming weeks will undoubtedly see an influx of these claims. Local and federal governments are trying to prepare for that.

On March 16th, the Maryland Senate passed an emergency bill to expand eligibility for unemployment insurance. The next day, on March 17th, the D.C. Council did the same thing and is now awaiting the Mayor’s signature. And, now, Congress is voting on a huge economic stimulus package that will federally push more funds to unemployment insurance.

But with more than a 1,000 percent jump in those applying for unemployment benefits in the region, some have had trouble navigating the current systems in place to apply for unemployment insurance. Websites have crashed and applicants have endured hours-long waits on the phone. According to Washington City Paper, it’s often the work-search requirement that is either causing system glitches or tripping people up. Although the work-search requirement in D.C. was waived in accordance with the March 17th emergency bill, it appears the online system hasn’t been updated. On March 24th, the D.C. Department of Employment Services tweeted that “claimants should disregard any messages received that their claims will be delayed or denied” due to the work-search requirement.

Other agencies and companies are looking to provide services, resources, and help to those in need. Banks, lenders, and mortgage companies—at the urging of federal agencies—are waiving fees, providing payment forbearance, and helping with loans. Water and electric utility companies are suspending service disconnections. Proposed cuts for the SNAP program (food stamps) were blocked by a federal judge. Food banks and mutual aid programs are setting up shop.

One reality of this emergency is that everyone and every industry is being affected in some way. Here’s our list of benefits available for anyone who may need assistance.

Banks and lenders
Utilities
Free services and resources
Food stamps
Unemployment
Economic Impact Payments

Banks and lenders

If you are having trouble making payments during this turbulent time, you are not the only one.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, a federal government agency, says they have encouraged financial institutions to work with their customers during this time of need. They’ve also made a few suggestions on how to handle such situations, like calling the banks and lenders to discuss what’s possible. The CFPB says it’s possible they could waive fees, re-adjust payment schedules, or set up a payment plan (particularly for auto loans). If you have student loans, you may qualify for a delayed or reduced payment program. They also recommend HUD-Approved Housing Counselors to help with mortgages.

Additionally, the Federal Housing Finance Agency has directed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to give borrowers payment forbearance for up to 12 months and to suspend foreclosures and evictions for at least 60 days.

On the local front, Truist (SunTrust and BB&T merged in December making it the second-largest bank in the D.C. region) announced they are waiving ATM surcharges and are providing 5 percent to credit cardholders on qualifying grocery store and pharmacy purchases through April 20. Bowser also recently announced that D.C. small businesses can now apply for targeted, low-interest disaster assistance loans of up to $2 million.

Unfortunately, there are also worries about scams on vulnerable American consumers. The Federal Trade Commission warns against bogus “investment opportunities,” emails claiming to be from the CDC about vaccines, and fraudulent charities. D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine also asks residents to be vigilant and to report price gouging.

Utilities

Pepco, which is the power provider for D.C. and Maryland, announced that they are “suspending service disconnections and waiving new late payment charges at least until May 1.” They are also willing to work with customers on a case-by-case basis to establish payment arrangements. The company is also recommending D.C. customers to the Utility Discount Program and the Greater Washington Urban League which can reduce costs up to $500 a year.

In Maryland, the similar Electric Universal Service Program can provide assistance for large, overdue gas and electric bills.

In Virginia, Dominion Energy reigns supreme. They’ve also suspended all service disconnections and are asking anyone who has had their service shut off for non-payment to contact them to restore their service. For those having trouble paying bills, they are offering short-term payment extensions and payment plans.

DC Water is suspending all-planned water shutoffs and will only shut it off when necessary to perform emergency repairs. They are also suspending entering any residence for anything other emergency work. Maryland’s WSSC Water is waiving late fees, suspending all water shut-offs, stopping all in-home non-emergency water work, and closing all offices for the next 30 days. Arlington and Virginia American Water (City of Alexandria) both state that they will not shut off anyone’s water for non-payment during the outbreak.

Free Resources

Other organizations and companies are jumping in to help those most affected by this ever-evolving emergency situation.

HKM, a national employment rights law firm with local offices on G Street NW and in Arlington, has opened a pro bono hotline and resource center for those with coronavirus-related questions in regards to their employment.

Mutual aid programs are being set up across the region to help those in need of food, medication, and supplies.

The D.C. government has put out a comprehensive, constantly updated list of free meals available for students and services for seniors.

Arlington Food Assistance Center is providing free weekly groceries to those in need. It’s being done at 2708 South Nelson Street, but the hours are changing after Saturday, March, 21st. Anyone can receive groceries once, but after that, you must get a referral from Arlington County’s Department of Human Services Community Assistance Bureau.

Capital Area Food Bank is consolidating services to provide meals to students, seniors, and pop-up pantries.

Food Stamps

There was a plan in place for a federally tightening of work requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) which could have cut up to nearly three-quarters of a million people from the program and 16,500 in D.C. alone. However, before it could go into effect in April, it was halted by a federal judge due to the global pandemic.

Individuals and families apply for SNAP through their individual jurisdictions. Benefits are provided on an EBT card and are accepted at most grocery stores as well as some farmers’ markets.

In D.C., apply for SNAP here. In Virginia, apply here. In Maryland, apply here. The application asks questions about your financial status, bills, assets, and dependents. At this point, the jurisdictions recognize the hardships that many are facing due to the global pandemic and are waiving certain requirements for documentation. Additionally, D.C.’s Department of Human Services announced that any benefits that were set to expire either March 31 or April 30 will be automatically extended. 

Unemployment

Unemployment can be particularly tricky to navigate. Who exactly qualifies for unemployment, and how does one apply? What information does one need? Do you apply where you live or where you work? How does it differ from locality to locality? Here are some answers, which vary sometimes dramatically, by jurisdiction.

Note that if you’re applying for benefits, look for information on the jurisdiction in which you work, not where you live.

D.C. 

Go here and click “claim unemployment benefits.” Anyone who has lost their job and has worked there for 30 days or more is eligible (that also means folks who are not citizens, though, they must have an Alien Registration Number).

Specifically to this situation and in accordance with the recent bill passed, this also includes employees who have been quarantined or isolated by a District or federal agency, an employee who has self-quarantined or self-isolated, an employee of an employer that ceased or reduced operations due to an order from the Mayor, or one an employee whose employer has seen a reduction in business revenue resulting from this public health emergency. There will also no longer be a work-search requirement.

Here is a list of the documents you’ll need to apply. But note that in accordance with the recent bill passed, in order to speed up payments, some of these documents may not be required right away.

How it works

• As of this past January, D.C.’s maximum weekly unemployment benefits rose from $432 to $444. You are eligible to receive benefits for up to 26 weeks.
• Your weekly benefit amount is calculated by taking the highest quarter of wages in a base period and dividing it by 26.
• You can receive unemployment if you are working part-time. The formula is to add $50 your weekly unemployment amount and subtract 66 percent of your gross weekly wages. Then, round down.
• D.C. highly recommends choosing and entering information for direct deposit. According to the website, this allows money to be received within two business days.
• If you choose not to do direct deposit, you’ll receive a U.S. Bank ReliaCard which money will be deposited into.
• Every week, you’ll have to fill out a weekly certification in which eligibility questions will be asked. They have to be completed between 12 a.m. on Sunday and 11:59 p.m. on Saturday for the prior week. The sooner it’s done, the sooner the certification will be processed. A week can not be skipped and must be completed in order. Even if you do earn money in a week but unsure of the next week, submit weekly certification and answer the questions accordingly.

Virginia

Go here and follow the prompts. Only those who have worked in Virginia over the last 18 months are eligible. If your employment within the last 18 months was performed in a state other than Virginia, you are not eligible for unemployment in Virginia. If you are not a U.S. citizen, you are still eligible but you must have an Alien Registration Number.

On Tuesday, Governor Northam widened eligibility due to the COVID-19 outbreak with the declaration that a worker may be eligible if they’ve received a notice to self-quarantine and are not receiving sick or medical leave pay from their employer. They also may be eligible if they are home caring for an ill family member and are not receiving paid family medical leave from their employer.

Also, according to this updated document, unemployment benefits “might be available” for those who have to take time off to care for their child due to their school or daycare closing.

Here is a list of the documents you’ll need to apply.

How it works

• No claim can be made until an actual lay-off or reduction of hours has occurred.
• Virginia’s current maximum weekly benefit amount is $378 for up to 26 weeks.
• If you are filing because of a reduction in hours, you will not receive benefits unless your gross earnings are less than your weekly benefit amount.
• If filing a claim due to layoffs/reduction of hours/otherwise can’t report to work related to the Covid-19 outbreak, click “Lack of Work/Lay off.” 
• The filing process takes about an hour to complete and incomplete applications will not be processed.
• On Tuesday, Governor Northam declared that the normal one-week waiting period for unemployment benefits will be expedited. He asked the Virginia Employment Commission to provide them as soon as possible.
• He also asked in the same declaration that “special consideration” be given to affected workers on deadlines, mandatory appointments, and work search requirements.

Maryland 

Go here and click “begin to file your initial claim.” In the FAQs it says, “eligibility for unemployment insurance benefits cannot be determined until you actually file an initial claim.” However, general guidelines state that eligibility is for those who are unemployed or working part-time due to fault that is not their own. If you have worked in a state other than Maryland sometime in the last 18 months, you are not eligible for benefits from Maryland.

If you are out of work due to contracting COVID-19, you are also not eligible. The state suggests using employer paid-time off (which is required to be given for any company over 15 employees in Maryland). It also states that employees who self-quarantine are not eligible, though those in mandatory quarantine or those told by a public health official “may be” eligible depending on paid sick leave.

If your employer shuts down operations, lays off employees, or cuts hours due to the outbreak, you may be eligible as well.

Here is a list of the documents you’ll need to apply.

How it works

• As a rule, the state asks that once unemployed, file for benefits immediately. Eligibility will be determined after that.
• The state asks everyone to file online as opposed to calling unless you’ve worked for the federal government or more than three employers in the last 18 months.
• Maryland’s current maximum weekly benefit amount is $430 for up to 26 weeks unless a federal extension program is enacted.
• Standard base period is the first four out of five quarters you’ve worked. You’ll receive half of your gross weekly wage during that time up to the maximum weekly benefit of $430
• You can be paid for dependents, which is an allowance of an additional $8 a week per dependent up to 5 dependents. However, the maximum weekly benefit amount is still in effect.
• You must file weekly claim certifications, that you are actively seeking work (yes, even during the COVID-19 outbreak), and report any wages earned. If you do earn wages, the first $50 in earnings will not be deducted but anything over $50 per week will be deducted from your benefit payment on a dollar for dollar basis.
• Maryland submits payments through a Visa debit card issued through Bank of America, which will be sent in the mail.

Economic Impact Payments

In late March, Congress passed the CARES Act which, among many other things, provides most Americans an “economic impact payment” (also known as “stimulus payments”) with the hope that the money will help stimulate the economy during the COVID-19 pandemic sweeping the country.

How much will I get? 

The amount one receives varies and it’s based on your 2018 and (if you have filed yet) 2019 tax returns:

• For individual filers who earned an adjusted gross income of $75,000 or less, they’ll receive $1200.
• For head of household filers, who earned an adjusted gross income of $112,500 or less, they’ll receive $1200.
• For married couples filing jointly who earned an adjusted gross income of $150,000 or less, they’ll receive $2400.
• For individual filers who earned an adjusted gross income over $75,000, their payment will be reduced by $5 for each $100 over that amount up until $99,000.
• For married couples filing jointly who earned an adjusted gross income over $150,000, their payment will be reduced by $5 for each $100 up until $198,000.
• For every child under the age of 17 that was claimed as a dependent, taxpayers will receive an additional $500.

For individual filers who earned over $99,000 and married couples jointly filed who earned over $198,000, they are not eligible for an economic impact payment.

What do I have to do to get my payment? 

For most people, nothing. If you’ve filed 2018 or 2019 taxes and had accurate, up-to-date direct deposit information on them, the payments will automatically be deposited—perhaps as soon as mid-April.

Even if you haven’t filed a tax return in the last two years, you still might not have to do anything to automatically receive these payments. For those who get social security or railroad retirement benefits, the IRS will use information from Forms SSA-1099 and RRB-1099 to directly deposit payments. Those who receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) also don’t need to take any additional action to get their payments, according to the IRS.

If direct deposit information wasn’t provided or isn’t up to date, the IRS says they plan on opening a portal in “mid-April” to fix this.

What if I don’t fit into any of those categories? 

For those who didn’t need to file a tax return in 2018 or 2019 and don’t receive any benefits listed above, it’s likely they still qualify for payments but need to submit information to file an abbreviated return via this non-tax-filer IRS portal.

There are a few types of people that should be submitting through this portal, says Teresa Hinze of Community Tax Aid, a D.C.-area non-profit that provides free tax preparation assistance to those in need. They include:

• One is a person who made less than $12,200 in 2018 and 2019, didn’t file taxes in either year, does not receive other benefits, and has no dependents.
• A married couple with one person getting social security and the other who has no taxable income.
• Anyone who gets social security and railroad retirement benefits but has a dependent under the age of 17 (their payment is automatic but the $500 dependent payment will not be.)
• If someone’s only income is unemployment insurance in 2018 and 2019 and didn’t have any taxes withheld.

For those who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Hinze says that she would advise folks to wait a few weeks to see if the IRS ends up doing the same as they are doing with other benefits and tacking on the payments to those.

When will I get the money? 

According to the U.S. Treasury, 80 million Americans with up-to-date direct deposit information will be getting money as early as the week of April 13. The agency also expects “a large majority of eligible Americans will receive Economic Impact Payments within the next two weeks.” To help with the waiting, the IRS will soon launch an online tool to check the status of payments.

For those eligible who can’t or didn’t provide direct deposit information, the Treasury says paper checks will begin being mailed out at the end of April. However, due to the sheer volume and work associated with mailing checks, this could lead to some not receiving their payments until September.

This story has been updated with information about people’s issues navigating the online portal.