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MCEDA’s Q2 HR Roundtable featured Ms. Jackie Turner, Executive Director for the Mississippi Department of Employment Security (MDES) as our guest speaker addressed questions related to unemployment processes and benefits. We had 80 attendees from various backgrounds including manufacturing, distribution, healthcare, professional services, retail, hospitality, and government. Questions submitted prior to the webinar were addressed in the Q&A section moderated by Jimmy Giles, Workforce Coordinator with the CMPDD, and answered by Timothy Rush, Director of MDES’ office of Reemployment Assistance.

Note: MCEDA will address questions asked in the chat during the webinar on this page.

Madison County HR Roundtable Questions: 

  1. When will people on unemployment in Mississippi begin receiving the extra $600 per week?
  2. How do we communicate with the unemployment offices when we are reopened and need team members back to work and off unemployment?
  3. How will we get people back to work if they are still receiving the extra $600 a week?
  4. If our company has over 500 team members, do we need to post the new EFMLA poster?
  5. How do we handle hourly part-time employees in Covid-19?
  6. Is an employee that voluntarily quits employment because of concerns of contracting COVID-19 eligible for unemployment benefits? Specifically, if the employee’s hours are not being reduced and have not changed, the employee is not being laid off, and the employee is not leaving for the reasons identified by the FFCRA, and the employer is taking actions to protect employees from exposure.
  7. Do we have to pay taxes on unemployment receipts?
  8. Is there a deadline date when normal unemployment requirements will resume? Ex. Proof of looking for a job.
  9. If people do not qualify for regular UI benefits, how do they apply for Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (PUC) as provided for in the CARES Act?
  10. How are people informed that they may qualify under the Pandemic Unemployment Compensation?
  11. Where should people file for unemployment if they were laid off in a different state but live in Mississippi and filed taxes in Mississippi in 2019?
  12. Are sole proprietors/ self-employed Mississippi residents impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic/related economic downturn eligible for Mississippi as well as federal unemployment relief or only federal relief?
  13. If sole proprietors/self-employed are eligible (or may become eligible) for MS unemployment, (a) What are the parameters for such individuals to be eligible for unemployment benefits? (b) What financial records or documentation are required from people seeking relief and during what terms?
  14. If people want to apply for both state and federal unemployment (or only federal unemployment if ineligible for state unemployment), do they need to apply by completing the form available on the MDES website? Does the same application submit the request for BOTH types of relief, or is more than one application necessary?
  15. If a sole proprietor is denied unemployment and seeks an appeal and there is a hearing scheduled, what does she need to do in order to prepare for the hearing?
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