How SEIU members can benefit from the American Rescue Plan
$1400 Economic Impact Payments
Cynthia is a single person who made less than $75,000 last year working for her county government. On her tax return, she included her direct deposit information and so the IRS sent her a $1,400 check electronically.
Haven't gotten your $1,400 check? Click here.
Child Tax Credit Expansion
Briana is a custodian at an elementary school who usually pays about $800 a year in federal taxes. As a result, $800 used to be the most her family could get back under the child tax credit. Now, however, she can receive the full benefit. That total tax credit amount has increased to $3,000 for each child age 6 and older and $3,600 for each child under age 6.
Check to see if you're eligible here and calculate how much you should receive here.
Paid Family Leave
Kamal is a father of 2, working for his state government. Because his state will be accepting the tax credits in the American Rescue Plan (ARP), he can take paid leave to provide family caregiving after his children’s daycare closed due to the pandemic. The ARP extended these voluntary tax credits to encourage employers to allow for paid leave through the end of September, and also increased the number of weeks for that leave from 12 to 14.
Paid leave goes through employers. Contact your local to learn more.
Premium Pay
Maria is a hospital cleaner who makes $10 an hour performing essential work during the pandemic to protect the health and well-being of patients, visitors, and other staff. Her state can choose to use some of the funding they’ve received to provide her with retroactive premium pay of up to $13 per hour in addition to her base pay, with up to a $25,000 cap.
Premium pay may depend on your employer or state. Contact your local to learn more.
Unemploy- ment Exten- sions
Jim worked as a cabin cleaner for a company contracted by a large airline, but he lost his job during the pandemic as a result of the airline industry taking a hit. Thankfully, the ARP extended unemployment benefits until September 6 with a weekly supplemental benefit of $300 on top of the regular $400 benefit. Additionally, his first $10,200 of unemployment benefits will be tax-free, since his income is less than $150,000.
Earned Income Tax Credit
Jasmine is an adjunct professor with no children. Normally, she would not be eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) until she turned 25, and even then it would be a maximum of around $500. Due to the ARP, it will roughly triple that amount.
COBRA Assistance
Jax lost their job as a hospital cost analyst this year. While their job included healthcare, it is expensive to pay the full cost of COBRA. Thankfully, the ARP provides a 100% federal subsidy through September 1st, so they won’t lose the care that they need.
Employer Payroll Protection
Ray is an airline contractor employee who was furloughed last year. The ARP doesn’t just provide an additional $1 billion to keep these essential workers on the payroll with maintained benefits, but the funds also come with a mandated recall of furloughed workers like Ray so that he can work again.
Food Assistance
As a home care worker, Sarah relies on SNAP benefits to make sure that their family has enough to eat, and December’s COVID relief package increased that benefit and has made a world of difference. Thanks to the ARP, that added benefit will continue through September. It also made changes to WIC benefits so her family can afford additional fruits and vegetables.
FEMA Funeral Assistance
Kwan is a security officer. Her father, an undocumented immigrant who worked hard his whole life, recently passed away and the death was attributed to COVID-19. The funeral expenses caused a great deal of financial stress and burden to the entire family. As a result of the ARP plus an additional appropriations bill, Kwan will be able to apply for some relief and reimbursements of thousands of dollars.
Affordable Care Act Assistance
Hari is a fast food worker who is organizing a union because his employer doesn’t provide health insurance. He is currently making less than 400 percent of the federal poverty level and has to purchase his insurance on the Affordable Care Act exchange in his state. The ARP will lower or eliminate his premiums.
Student Loans and Taxes
Jayla has large student loans after completing her graduate degree and then going to work for the state government. Her payments have been on hold and will continue to be on hold through September, thanks to President Biden’s executive action. If the federal government decides to cancel student loans between now and 2025, the amount that gets forgiven will be tax-free due to a provision in the ARP.
COVID and Long-Term Care Facilities
Doris has been working in a nursing home, caring for the elderly, for the past decade. The pandemic has been a dangerous time for this work. The ARP provides funding for purchasing and distributing vaccines, tests, and PPE for staff and residents in congregate care settings, including long-term care facilities like hers.