Labor Department just expanded eligibility for unemployment — here's who qualifies

The Department of Labor on Thursday expanded eligibility for unemployment benefits to those facing unsafe workplaces, as well as out-of-work parents who had to quit their jobs when schools and child care providers closed and had no job when children returned to the classroom.

Beyond allowing school staff and workers who feel unsafe to claim unemployment benefits, the new guidance also offers relief for those who have had to deal with child care and school closures affecting their jobs, even after schools went back to in-person attendance.

She noted that if parents had to quit their jobs as a direct result of Covid-19, even if schools reopened, they will be eligible to receive unemployment benefits.

Workers can now select more than one reason for their unemployment so that they can remain eligible for benefits even if one of the reasons subsides.