S. 3496: Preventing Layoffs During a Public Health Emergency Act of 2020

116th Congress · introduced 2020-03-12 · Labor and Employment · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S1743-1744)

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Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2020-03-12 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Reed, Jack [D-RI] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S1743-1744) Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Preventing Layoffs During a Public Health Emergency Act of 2020

Plain summary

Preventing Layoffs During a Public Health Emergency Act of 2020 This bill provides 100% of temporary federal financing of limited short-time compensation (STC) payments in certain states where a public health emergency has been declared. (STC, also known as work sharing, is a program within the federal-state unemployment system that provides pro-rated unemployment compensation to workers whose hours have been reduced in lieu of a layoff.) The term public health emergency means a public health emergency declared for an area by (1) the Secretary of Health and Human Services, or (2) a state public health official with the authority to declare such an emergency for the area. Certain states without a STC program may enter into an agreement with the Department of Labor under which Labor will temporarily finance 50% of the state's STC payments. If such a state subsequently enacts a state law implementing a STC program that meets federal requirements it shall be ineligible for such 50% financing; however, it shall be eligible for the 100% financing. Labor must develop and provide model legislative language for states to develop and enact STC programs, including periodically reviewing and revising such language; provide technical assistance and guidance in developing, enacting, and implementing STC programs; and establish certain STC reporting requirements.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

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What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Preventing Layoffs During a Public Health Emergency Act of 2020

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Reed, Jack [D-RI] · 2 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Bernard Sanders (I-VT)

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Reed, Jack [D-RI] reported raising $3.7 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (1)

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Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-116s3496.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/116/s>

Record fed-us-cong116-s3496 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116