North Carolina House Bill 960 sets $600 weekly maximum unemployment benefit during declared disasters and requires annual reserve fund reports

Original title: UI/Give Enhanced Benefits During Disasters.

Last action · April 14, 2025: Ref To Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House (House action)Sponsors: Tim Longest and 14 others

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What This Bill Would Do

North Carolina House Bill 960 temporarily increases the maximum weekly unemployment insurance benefit to $600 during a declared disaster under the Emergency Management Act, effective July 1, 2025. The legislation requires the Division of Employment Security to earmark reserve funds and report annually starting January 1, 2027, provided sufficient funding is certified.

Why it matters

Eligible individuals filing unemployment claims during a state-declared disaster can receive a higher weekly benefit of up to $600, while the state unemployment fund must maintain and reserve dedicated funds to cover these temporary enhancements.

Who It Would Affect

Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

Unemployed workers

Eligible individuals filing claims during a declared disaster may receive an increased maximum weekly benefit of $600.

Directly affected

Division of Employment Security

The Division must project annual funding needs, earmark reserve funds, certify fund sufficiency, and report annually to the legislative oversight committee starting January 1, 2027.

Key Facts

The maximum weekly unemployment insurance benefit is temporarily increased to $600 for claims filed during any period when a disaster is declared under G.S. 166A-19.21.
Funds within the Unemployment Insurance Fund must be earmarked as a reserve dedicated to funding the enhanced benefits.
The Division must project annually the amount of funds reasonably necessary to maintain sufficiency for providing the enhanced benefits.
Beginning January 1, 2027, the Division must report annually to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Unemployment Insurance regarding projections and earmarks.

Show all 7 facts

The Division must certify sufficient funding has been earmarked before enhanced benefits can be implemented.
If funds are determined to be insufficient for the anticipated duration of the disaster, the temporary enhancement will not take effect unless enacted by the General Assembly in accordance with the North Carolina Constitution.
The act becomes effective July 1, 2025.

Frequently Asked Questions

When does this act become effective?

The act becomes effective on July 1, 2025.

What happens if the Unemployment Insurance Fund does not have enough money to cover the enhanced benefits?

The temporary enhancement will not take effect unless the General Assembly enacts it in accordance with Article II, Section 23 of the North Carolina Constitution.

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Where This Stands

Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.

Procedural history

3 actions

Apr 14, 2025House
Ref To Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
Apr 14, 2025House
Passed 1st Reading
Apr 10, 2025HouseIntroduced
Filed

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

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