45 U.S.C. § 352 — Benefits

**(a) Days for which benefits payable; determination of amount** (1) (A) *Payment of Unemployment Benefits.—* (i) *Generally.—* — Except as otherwise provided in this subparagraph, benefits shall be payable to any qualified employee for each day of unemployment in excess of 4 during any registration period within a period of continuing unemployment. (ii) *Waiting period for first registration period.—* — Benefits shall be payable to any qualified employee for each day of unemployment in excess of 7 during that employee’s first registration period in a period of continuing unemployment if such period of continuing unemployment is the employee’s initial period of continuing unemployment commencing in the benefit year. (iii) *Strikes.—* (I) *Initial 14-day waiting period.—* — If the Board finds that a qualified employee has a period of continuing unemployment that includes days of unemployment due to a stoppage of work because of a strike in the establishment, premises, or enterprise at which such employee was last employed, no benefits shall be payable for such employee’s first 14 days of unemployment due to such stoppage of work. (II) *Subsequent days of unemployment.—* — For subsequent days of unemployment due to the same stoppage of work, benefits shall be payable as provided in clause (i) of this subparagraph. (III) *Subsequent periods of continuing unemployment.—* — If such period of continuing unemployment ends by reason of clause (v) but the stoppage of work continues, the waiting period established in clause (ii) shall apply to the employee’s first registration period in a new period of continuing unemployment based upon the same stoppage of work. (iv) *Definition of period of continuing unemployment.—* — Except as limited by clause (v), for the purposes of this subparagraph, the term “period of continuing unemployment” means— (I) a single registration period that includes more than 4 days of unemployment; (II) a series of consecutive registration periods, each of which includes more than 4 days of unemployment; or (III) a series of successive registration periods, each of which includes more than 4 days of unemployment, if each succeeding registration period begins within 15 days after the last day of the immediately preceding registration period. (v) *Special rule regarding end of period.—* — For purposes of applying clause (ii), a period of continuing unemployment ends when an employee exhausts rights to unemployment benefits under subsection (c) of this section. (vi) *Limit on amount of benefits.—* — No benefits shall be payable to an otherwise eligible employee for any day of unemployment in a registration period where the total amount of the remuneration (as defined in [section 351(j) of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title45-section351/j&num=0&edition=prelim)) payable or accruing to him for days within such registration period exceeds the amount of the base year monthly compensation base. For purposes of the preceding sentence, an employee’s remuneration shall be deemed to include the gross amount of any remuneration that would have become payable to that employee but did not become payable because that employee was not ready or willing to perform suitable work available to that employee on any day within such registration period. (B) *Payment of Sickness Benefits.—* (i) *Generally.—* — Except as otherwise provided in this subparagraph, benefits shall be payable to any qualified employee for each day of sickness after the 4th consecutive day of sickness in a period of continuing sickness but excluding 4 days of sickness in any registration period in such period of continuing sickness. (ii) *Waiting period for first registration period.—* — Benefits shall be payable to any qualified employee for each day of sickness in excess of 7 during that employee’s first registration period in a period of continuing sickness if such period of continuing sickness is the employee’s initial period of continuing sickness commencing in the benefit year. For the purposes of this clause, the first registration period in a period of continuing sickness is that registration period that first begins with 4 consecutive days of sickness and includes more than 4 days of sickness. (iii) *Definition of period of continuing sickness.—* — For the purposes of this subparagraph, a period of continuing sickness means— (I) a period of consecutive days of sickness, whether from 1 or more causes; or (II) a period of successive days of sickness due to a single cause without interruption of more than 90 consecutive days which are not days of sickness. (iv) *Special rule regarding end of period.—* — For purposes of applying clause (ii), a period of continuing sickness ends when an employee exhausts rights to sickness benefits under subsection (c) of this section. (2) The daily benefit rate with respect to any such employee for such day of unemployment or sickness shall be in an amount equal to 60 per centum of the daily rate of compensation for the employee’s last employment in which he engaged for an employer in the base year, but not less than $12.70: Provided, however, That for registration periods beginning after June 30, 1975, but before July 1, 1976, such amount shall not exceed $24 per day of such unemployment or sickness, that for registration periods beginning after June 30, 1976, but before July 1, 1988, such amount shall not exceed $25 per day of such unemployment or sickness, that for registration periods beginning after June 30, 1988, but before July 1, 1989, such amount shall not exceed $30 per day of unemployment or sickness, and that for registration periods beginning after June 30, 1989, such amount shall not exceed the maximum daily benefit rate provided in paragraph (3) of this subsection. The daily rate of compensation referred to in this paragraph shall be determined by the Board on the basis of information furnished to the Board by the employee, his employer, or both. (3) The maximum daily benefit rate computed by the Board under [section 362(r)(2) of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title45-section362/r/2&num=0&edition=prelim) shall be the product of the monthly compensation base, as computed under [section 351(i)(2) of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title45-section351/i/2&num=0&edition=prelim) for the base year immediately preceding the beginning of the benefit year, multiplied by 5 percent. If the maximum daily benefit rate so computed is not a multiple of $1, it shall be rounded down to the nearest multiple of $1. (4) In computing benefits to be paid, days of unemployment shall not be combined with days of sickness in the same registration period. (5) (A) Notwithstanding paragraph (3), subsection (c)(1)(B), and any other limitation on total benefits in this chapter, for registration periods beginning on or after April 1, 2020, but on or before July 31, 2020, and for registration periods beginning after December 26, 2020, but on or before September 6, 2021, a recovery benefit shall be payable to a qualified employee with respect to any registration period in which the employee received unemployment benefits under paragraph (1)(A), and in any registration period in which the employee did not receive unemployment benefits due to the limitation in subsection (c)(1)(B) or due to reaching the maximum number of days of benefits in the benefit year beginning July 1, 2019, or July 1, 2020, or July 1, 2021, under subsection (c)(1)(A). No recovery benefits shall be payable under this section upon the exhaustion of the funds appropriated under subparagraph (B) for payment of benefits under this subparagraph. For registration periods beginning on or after April 1, 2020, but on or before July 31, 2020, the recovery benefit payable under this subparagraph shall be in the amount of $1,200. For registration periods beginning after December 26, 2020, but on or before September 6, 2021, the recovery benefit payable under this subparagraph shall be in the amount of $600. (B) Out of any funds in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, there are appropriated $425,000,000 to cover the cost of recovery benefits provided under subparagraph (A), to remain available until expended. **(b) Time of payments** The benefits provided for in this section shall be paid to an employee at such reasonable intervals as the Board may prescribe. **(c) Maximum number of days for benefits** (1) **Normal benefits** (A) *Generally* — The maximum number of days of unemployment within a benefit year for which benefits may be paid to an employee shall be 130, and the maximum number of days of sickness within a benefit year for which benefits may be paid to an employee shall be 130. (B) *Limitation* — The total amount of benefits that may be paid to an employee for days of unemployment within a benefit year shall in no case exceed the employee’s compensation in the base year; and the total amount of benefits that may be paid to an employee for days of sickness within a benefit year shall in no case exceed the employee’s compensation in the base year, except that notwithstanding [section 351(i) of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title45-section351/i&num=0&edition=prelim), in determining the employee’s compensation in the base year for the purpose of this sentence, any money remuneration paid to the employee for services rendered as an employee shall be taken into account that is not in excess of an amount that bears the same ratio to $775 as the monthly compensation base for that year as computed under [section 351(i) of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title45-section351/i&num=0&edition=prelim) bears to $600. (2) **Extended benefits** (A) *Generally* — With respect to an employee who has 10 or more years of service as defined in [section 231(f) of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title45-section231/f&num=0&edition=prelim), who did not voluntarily retire and (in a case involving exhaustion of rights to normal benefits for days of unemployment) did not voluntarily leave work without good cause, and who had current rights to normal benefits for days of unemployment or days of sickness in a benefit year but has exhausted such rights, the benefit year in which such rights are exhausted shall be deemed not to be ended until the last day of the extended benefit period determined under this paragraph, and extended unemployment benefits or extended sickness benefits (depending on the type of normal benefit rights exhausted) may be paid for not more than 65 days of unemployment or 65 days of sickness within such extended benefit period. (B) *Beginning date* — An employee’s extended benefit period shall begin on the employee’s first day of unemployment or first day of sickness, as the case may be, following the day on which the employee exhausts the employee’s then current rights to normal benefits for days of unemployment or days of sickness and shall continue for 7 consecutive 14-day periods, each of which shall constitute a registration period, but no such extended benefit period shall extend beyond the beginning of the first registration period in a benefit year in which the employee is again qualified for benefits in accordance with [section 353 of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title45-section353&num=0&edition=prelim) on the basis of compensation earned after the first of such consecutive 14-day periods has begun. (C) *Termination when employee reaches age of 65* — Notwithstanding any other provision of this paragraph, an extended benefit period for sickness benefits shall terminate on the day next preceding the date on which the employee attains age 65, except that it may continue for the purpose of paying benefits for days of unemployment. (D) *Temporary increase in extended unemployment benefits* (i) *Employees with 10 or more years of service* — Subject to clause (iii), in the case of an employee who has 10 or more years of service (as so defined), with respect to extended unemployment benefits— (I) subparagraph (A) shall be applied by substituting “330 days of unemployment” for “65 days of unemployment”; and (II) subparagraph (B) shall be applied by inserting “(or, in the case of unemployment benefits, 33 consecutive 14-day periods, except that no extended benefit period shall end before 20 consecutive 14-day periods after the date of enactment of the Continued Assistance for Unemployed Workers Act of 2020 11 See References in Text note below. have elapsed)” after “7 consecutive 14-day periods”. (ii) *Employees with less than 10 years of service* — Subject to clause (iii), in the case of an employee who has less than 10 years of service (as so defined), with respect to extended unemployment benefits, this paragraph shall apply to such an employee in the same manner as this paragraph would apply to an employee described in clause (i) if such clause had not been enacted and if— (A) subparagraph (A) were applied by substituting “265 days of unemployment” for “65 days of unemployment”; and (B) subparagraph (B) were applied by inserting “(or, in the case of unemployment benefits, 27 consecutive 14-day periods, except that no extended benefit period shall end before 20 consecutive 14-day periods after the date of enactment of the Continued Assistance for Unemployed Workers Act of 2020 1 have elapsed)” after “7 consecutive 14-day periods”. (iii) *Application* — The provisions of clauses (i) and (ii) shall apply to an employee who received normal benefits for days of unemployment under this chapter during the period beginning July 1, 2019, and ending on June 30, 2022, except that the provisions of clauses (i) and (ii) shall not apply to any employee with respect to any registration period beginning after September 6, 2021..22 So in original. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, no benefits shall be payable under this subparagraph and clauses (i) and (ii) shall no longer be applicable upon the exhaustion of the funds appropriated under clause (v) for payment of benefits under this subparagraph. (iv) *Treatment of certain calendar days* — No calendar day occurring during the period beginning on the first date with respect to which the employee has exhausted all rights to extended unemployment benefits under this paragraph as in effect on the day before the date of enactment of the Continued Assistance for Unemployed Workers Act of 2020 1 and ending with the date of such enactment may be treated as a day of unemployment for purposes of the payment of extended unemployment benefits under this paragraph. (v) *Appropriation* — Out of any funds in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, there are appropriated $20,000,000 to cover the cost of additional extended unemployment benefits provided under this subparagraph, to remain available until expended. In addition to the amount appropriated by the preceding sentence, out of any funds in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, there are appropriated $175,000,000 to cover the cost of additional extended unemployment benefits provided under this subparagraph, to remain available until expended. In addition to the amount appropriated by the preceding two sentences, out of any funds in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, there are appropriated $2,000,000 to cover the cost of additional extended unemployment benefits provided under this subparagraph, to remain available until expended. (3) **Accelerated benefits** (A) *General rule* — With respect to an employee who has 10 or more years of service as defined in [section 231(f) of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title45-section231/f&num=0&edition=prelim), who did not voluntarily retire, and (in a case involving unemployment benefits) did not voluntarily leave work without good cause, who has 14 or more consecutive days of unemployment, or 14 or more consecutive days of sickness, and who is not a qualified employee with respect to the general benefit year current when such unemployment or sickness commences but is or becomes a qualified employee for the next succeeding general benefit year, such succeeding general benefit year shall, in that employee’s case, begin on the first day of the month in which such unemployment or sickness commences. (B) *Exception* — In the case of a succeeding benefit year beginning in accordance with subparagraph (A) by reason of sickness, such sentence shall not operate to permit the payment of benefits in the period provided for in such sentence for any day of sickness beginning with the date on which the employee attains age 65, and continuing through the day preceding the first day of the next succeeding general benefit year. (C) *Determination of age* — For the purposes of this subsection, the Board may rely on evidence of age available in its records and files at the time determinations of age are made. **(d) Overpayment of benefits; recovery; liability of officers** If the Board finds that at any time more than the correct amount of benefits has been paid to any individual under this chapter or a payment has been made to an individual not entitled thereto (including payments made prior to July 1, 1940), recovery by adjustments in subsequent payments to which such individual is entitled under this chapter or any other Act administered by the Board may, except as otherwise provided in this subsection, be made under regulations prescribed by the Board. If such individual dies before recovery is completed, recovery may be made by set-off or adjustments, under regulations prescribed by the Board, in subsequent payments due, under this chapter or any other Act administered by the Board, to the estate, designee, next of kin, legal representative, or surviving spouse of such individual, with respect to the employment of such individual. Adjustments under this subsection may be made either by deductions from subsequent payments or, with respect to payments which are to be made during a lifetime or lifetimes, by subtracting the total amount of benefits paid in excess of the proper amount from the actuarial value, as determined by the Board, of such payments to be made during a lifetime or lifetimes and recertifying such payments on the basis of the reduced actuarial value. In the latter case, recovery shall be deemed to have been completed upon such recertification. There shall be no recovery in any case in which more than the correct amount of benefits has been paid to an individual or payment has been made to an individual not entitled thereto (including payments made prior to July 1, 1940) who, in the judgment of the Board, is without fault when, in the judgment of the Board, recovery would be contrary to the purpose of this chapter or would be against equity or good conscience. No certifying or disbursing officer shall be held liable for any amount certified or paid by him in good faith to any person where the recovery of such amount is waived under the third paragraph of this subsection or has been begun but cannot be completed under the first paragraph of this subsection. **(e) Assignment, taxation, garnishment, attachment, etc., of benefits** Notwithstanding any other law of the United States, or of any State, Territory, or the District of Columbia, no benefits shall be assignable or be subject to any tax or to garnishment, attachment, or other legal process under any circumstances whatsoever, nor shall the payment thereof be anticipated. **(f) Effect of payment of benefits for remunerable period; payment of surplus remuneration to Board** If (i) benefits are paid to any employee with respect to unemployment or sickness in any registration period, and it is later determined that remuneration is payable to such employee with respect to any period which includes days in such registration period which had been determined to be days of unemployment or sickness, and (ii) the person or company from which such remuneration is payable has, before payment thereof, notice of the payment of benefits upon the basis of days of unemployment or sickness included in such period, the remuneration so payable shall not be reduced by reason of such benefits but the remuneration so payable, to the extent to which benefits were paid upon the basis of days which had been determined to be days of unemployment or sickness and which are included in the period for which such remuneration is payable, shall be held to be a special fund in trust for the Board. The amount of such special fund shall be paid to the Board and in the collection thereof the Board shall have the same authority, and the same penalties shall apply, as are provided in [section 358 of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title45-section358&num=0&edition=prelim) with respect to contributions. The proceeds of such special fund shall be credited to the account. Such benefits, to the extent that they are represented in such a special fund which has been collected by the Board, shall be disregarded for the purposes of subsection (c) of this section. **(g) Payment of accrued benefits upon death** Benefits accrued to an individual but not yet paid at death shall, upon certification by the Board, be paid, without necessity of filing further claims therefor, to the same individual or individuals to whom any accrued annuities under [section 231e(a)(1) of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title45-section231e/a/1&num=0&edition=prelim) are paid. In the event that no such accrued annuities are paid, and if application for such accrued benefits is filed prior to the expiration of two years after the death of the individual to whom such benefits accrued, such accrued benefits shall be paid, upon certification by the Board, to the individual or individuals who would be entitled thereto under [section 231e(a)(1) of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title45-section231e/a/1&num=0&edition=prelim) if such accrued benefits were accrued annuities. If there is no individual to whom all or any part of such accrued benefits can be paid in accordance with the foregoing provisions, such benefits or part thereof shall escheat to the credit of the account.