The House of Representatives passed an updated “Phase 4” COVID-19 relief stimulus bill, The HEROES Act, in a 214 to 207 vote. The $2.2 trillion legislation addresses several areas of coronavirus relief, including supplemental unemployment insurance, an expansion of the employee retention tax credit, a renewal of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), state and local government aid, and direct payments to individuals.
While the bill passed, there remain disagreements over employer liability protections, supplemental unemployment insurance, and financial aid to state and local governments. Industry groups, such as the National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association (NLBMDA) have lobbied for additional COVID-19 relief. In its lobbying efforts, the NLBMDA has advocated for reduced supplemental unemployment insurance, employer liability protections, and additional funding for small businesses. The current HEROES Act does not include employer liability protections.
The proposed HEROES Act would restore the $600 per week Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation supplement benefits starting the week and increase the applicable percentage of qualified wages reimbursed through the employee retention and rehiring credit to 80% from 50%. The bill would require OSHA to issue an enforceable standard within seven days to require all workplaces to develop and implement infection control plans based on CDC guidelines.
