(Click on the image for Scott Dance's Baltimore Sun report)
Who can file for unemployment?
The system is for people who have lost jobs through no fault
of their own. Amid the coronavirus pandemic, that includes those laid off
because of loss of business or production tied to the outbreak.
It does not include people who can’t work because they are
sick. However, some people who have been ordered by a doctor or public health
official to isolate themselves may be eligible for unemployment benefits,
according to the state labor department.
Legislation the General Assembly approved last week also
makes people eligible for benefits if they have to leave their jobs to avoid risk of coronavirus
exposure or to care for an infected family member. Hogan signed the measure
into law Thursday, and it took effect immediately.
And state Labor Secretary Tiffany Robinson said Monday that
people can file for unemployment if their workplace is closed because of social
distancing orders, even if they haven’t been formally laid off from their jobs.
Both part-time and full-time workers can be eligible for
unemployment benefits.