Excel Oregon Unemployment Estimators for Full Time, GIG, Part Time, and Work Share Unemployment Insurance.

I don't claim to be an unemployment expert but I have waded through a series of documents to better understand the benefits that Oregonians might receive if they file for unemployment benefits in the midst of this COVID-19 pandemic. 

With a STRONG admonition that this is NOT official guidance, but MY current understanding I have prepared an Excel workbook HERE, and embedded below, with several worksheets that help estimate Oregon unemployment benefits for several type of work situations. 

The workbook includes a READ me worksheet that includes the version number, the date, and links to source materials. 

These are the other worksheets:

1. Full time unemployment for 
A. covered workers AND for B. self employed workers. 
2. Part time unemployment.
3. Work share unemployment.
4, Summary showing differences between Part Time and Work share unemployment.

Defaults for each worksheet

• In all worksheets I highlight in BLUE the cells where variable INPUTS can be made, with other cells being locked.
• The default entry for each worksheet is $52,000 annual income.
• For the Part Time and Workshare spreadsheet the assumed reduction in hours is 40%. 
• Assumed period of UI is 39 weeks and 17 weeks for the $600 bonus. (The bonus payments make a substantial difference in the total amount of wage income replaced by unemployment insurance, and especially at lower wage levels).
• Initial version of the workbook is 1.0. IF I make changes as my understanding increases I will change the version number in the title of the workbook and in the READ me worksheet. 

Comment on Individual Worksheets
1. Full time employment. 
A.Covered workers.  The Min is $151, Max is $648. For "annual income" use the gross annual income input into the Oregon UI Estimator.  
B. Self employed /GIG workers. The Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) minimum benefit is a higher $205 and adjusts quarterly based on 1/2 the average state weekly benefit. My current understanding is that the max is the same as regular unemployment ($648).

This PUA unemployment benefit is limited to those individuals that do not qualify for regular unemployment insurance and the applicant MUST also meet one of several COVID-19 related conditions. Most states have yet to post specifics on how to apply, but THIS DOL advisory letter (UIPL 16-20) has the framework for this program.  

This is the worksheet most likely to change as more information becomes available. 

2. Part time employment. If reduced weekly wages are higher than the weekly benefit amount, there is NO unemployment benefit.  If reduced wages are lower than weekly benefit amount,the  final weekly benefit amount can be reduced by two earnings disregard tests. You may earn up to 10 times minimum wage or one-third of your weekly benefit amount (whichever is more) before your benefits are affected. At higher incomes or with modest reductions in hours, weekly wages may exceed the max benefit amount of $648 and this would mean NO part time unemployment insurance benefit.

3. Work Share (aka Short Term Compensation, (STC).  The reduction in hours must be between 20% and 40% and only employers can choose this option, The reduction in weekly benefits follows the percentage reduction in hours not the actual reduced wages. For higher income workers (regardless of income) this means the reduction of the maximum weekly benefit of $648 will be within a FIXED range of $130 (20%) to $259 (40%). It's likely that some higher income workers with reduced hours could qualify for Work Share but NOT for part time unemployment, but again this is the employer's option not the employee.

4. Comparison of Part Time and Work Share UI.  This table shows key similarities and differences between the Part Time and Work Share programs.



Originally created and posted on the Oregon Housing Blog.