BOSTON-- Senator Sal DiDomenico recently joined with his colleagues in the Massachusetts Legislature to pass a bill that will provide additional Unemployment Insurance (UI) relief to low-income families, non-profit institutions and employers. The legislation now moves on to the governor.

An Act Providing Additional Support to Those Affected by the Novel Coronavirus Through the Unemployment Insurance System builds on UI legislation already signed into law waiving the one-week waiting period to receive benefits. 

“From the outset of this crisis, our number one priority has been addressing the immediate needs that the people of Massachusetts face, and that includes protecting our residents’ economic stability,” said Senator DiDomenico. “I am pleased that we have once again taken action to strengthen our unemployment system to meet the unprecedented nature of this emergency, and ensure that workers and employers can access the new protections available to them through both state and federal action. Thank you to my colleagues in the House and Senate for their bipartisan collaboration on this critical bill.”

The legislation builds off the legislature’s ongoing efforts to address the COVID-19 public health crisis and its impact on workers and follows the passage of the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), which significantly increased UI benefits and expands eligibility during the coronavirus pandemic.

The components of the bill are as follows: 

Protection for Employers. Employers who participate in UI pay contributions based on their layoff experience. Like other forms of insurance, employers that are more likely to have workers use unemployment compensation are asked to pay more in the system. The system does not anticipate a situation where employers across a number of sectors have been forced to significantly reduce their workforces due to situations outside of their control. This bill prevents layoffs related to coronavirus from negatively impacting employer’s future UI contributions. 

Extending Unemployment Benefit Period. The number of weeks of unemployment compensation available in Massachusetts is tied to unemployment rates around the state. This trigger did not anticipate a situation, however, in which unemployment grows rapidly in a very short period of time. This bill ensures that the 30-week benefit period is triggered by a significant uptick in weekly unemployment claims. 

Lifting the Cap on Dependency Allotment. This bill eliminates the 50% cap for the dependency allotment providing additional benefits to low-income families. This increase will be in addition to the $600 per week benefit add-on provided for in the CARES Act for all workers eligible for state or federal benefits. This provision is effective for 18 months after the end of COVID-19 emergency and the end of enhanced federal benefits.

Currently, UI recipients are entitled to an additional $25 per week for each child in the family, capped at 50% of a recipient’s base allotment. The result is that workers with particularly low allotments, such as low wage workers, can easily be capped out of receiving these additional amounts. 

Non-Profit Contribution Grace Period. Presently, many non-profits self-insure for unemployment claims. This means that when layoffs in the sector occur, non-profits pay the cost of those benefits dollar for dollar at the next billing period. This bill provides a 120-day grace period for non-profits to make these contributions. This delay will allow the state to review additional changes that are warranted to mitigate the impact on non-profits. The CARES Act provides 50% reimbursement for self-insured benefit payments during the Coronavirus crisis. 

An Act Providing Additional Support to Those Affected by the Novel Coronavirus Through the Unemployment Insurance System now moves to the governor for consideration. 

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EVERETT- Senator Sal DiDomenico announced that Chelsea-based company Steele Canvas made a donation of 1,200 masks to the City of Everett. Senator Sal DiDomenico’s office began working with Steele Canvas at the start of the COVID-19 emergency, when the company contacted his team for assistance with converting their existing manufacturing operations to make essential products, like personal protective equipment (PPE).

After DiDomenico’s office connected the local company with the Massachusetts COVID-19 Command Center, Steele Canvas was able to begin converting their operations, creating high-quality masks made of domestic denim and a 100% flannel lining. As part of their new business, they also began donating a mask for every mask they sold. In the weeks since they launched their mask manufacturing operations, Steele Canvas has donated over 30,000 masks to health care workers, non-medical hospital staff, and first responders.

Most recently, the company contacted the Senator’s office again asking for assistance in identifying community organizations in need of mask donations and municipalities that have been hard-hit by the COVID-19 outbreak. In response, DiDomenico worked to connect them to the City of Everett, Everett Police and Fire Departments, and the Everett Grace Food Pantry, resulting in a donation of over 1200 masks to the Everett community. 

“I am incredibly grateful to Steele Canvas for their generosity, and truly proud of their innovation, resilience, and spirit during these difficult times,” said Senator DiDomenico. “From the start of this emergency, my office and I have been working diligently to connect local companies with the resources they need, and this is just one example of a company in my district that has adapted its operations to making PPE. I have found this collaboration with Steele Canvas to be particularly heartwarming, seeing our initial conversation with them just a six short weeks ago blossom into an incredible act of kindness and critical donation to our community. Thank you to Steele Canvas for providing our city, especially those on the front-lines, with the masks we so desperately need.”

"Over the last six weeks, we’ve been overwhelmed by the support of our customers and community,” said John Lordan, President of Steele Canvas. “The success of our mask initiative has been a humbling journey. We had no idea what to expect when we started this project. We simply knew we wanted to help front line workers while keeping our staff employed. To date, we’ve been able to donate over 30,000 masks to healthcare workers and hard hit communities, and not only keep our entire team employed, but actually add a few jobs as well.” 

“Time and time again I have seen the generosity of individuals and companies during the Coronavirus,” said Mayor Carlo DeMaria. “Steele Canvas demonstrates how you can do well, by doing good. Not only are they saving much needed jobs, but they are doing it while saving lives. I want to personally thank our senator for reaching out and connecting Steele Canvas with our first responders.”

In addition to the donation to the City of Everett, Steele Canvas has also donated over 1,200 masks to the city of Chelsea and the Chelsea Collaborative, as facilitated by Senator DiDomenico’s office.

 Steele Canvas is a 99 year-old family owned and operated manufacturer of high-quality baskets, bins, hampers, totes and other products. Their Keep America Moving Mask is available for purchase, or donation to a front-line worker, on their website: www.steelecanvas.com.

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BOSTON- Senator Sal DiDomenico and his colleagues in the Massachusetts Senate recently passed An Act to Reduce Traffic Fatalities. The bill includes new requirements for cyclists and motorists to promote safety for everyone who uses the road.  

Following the vote, Senator DiDomenico expressed his satisfaction with the Senate passage of the bill and discussed the need for this legislation to become law. “I know how dangerous driving in our Commonwealth can be and how often cyclists and pedestrians are at risk. With the recent uptick in accidents involving cyclists, many of which have happened in my district, it is clear that we must take steps to make our roads safer for all. This bill is an important part of the solution, and I look forward to continue working with my constituents and MassDOT officials to create safer roadways for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers alike” said DiDomenico. 

The bill classifies several groups, including pedestrians, utility workers, first responders and cyclists, as vulnerable road users and requires motor vehicles to apply a safe passing distance of at least three feet when traveling 30 miles per hour or less with an additional foot of clearance required for every 10 miles per hour over 30 miles per hour. The bill would further require trucks and similar large vehicles purchased, leased or under contract with the Commonwealth after a certain date to be equipped with lateral protective devices, convex mirrors and crossover mirrors to reduce the risk posed to vulnerable road users who are susceptible to being unseen by truck driver’s and slipping underneath large vehicles during accidents. 

The bill would additionally establish a 25 mile per hour speed limit on an unposted area of state highway or parkway inside a thickly settled or business district within a city or town that has accepted the 25 mile per hour local option, as lower vehicle speeds reduce the possibility and severity of crashes.  Finally, the bill increases the flexibility of the Department of Transportation to reduce the speed limit in active construction zones thereby significantly increasing the protection provided to vulnerable workers and first responders at the construction site.

An Act to Reduce Traffic Fatalities now moves to the House of Representatives for further consideration.

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