According to (CNN)Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said Monday he will allow his stay-at-home order for the Lone Star State to expire on Thursday, commencing a phased exit from the social distancing measures meant to mitigate the novel coronavirus pandemic.
The Republican's new order, which supersedes local orders, will allow businesses like retail stores, malls, restaurants and theaters to reopen Friday but limits occupancy to 25%. The order will also allow libraries and museums to open.
After a week that saw a record 3.3 million people file for unemployment benefits, Congress passed a $2 trillion stimulus package on March 27, 2020. The law, known as The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, provides for direct cash transfers to each adult and expanded unemployment benefits.
The highlights of the new law include:
Prior to the pandemic, this is what unemployment benefits were defined as. Unemployment benefits are intended to partially replace lost wages, so the precise amount you receive will depend on what you used to earn. States use different formulas to calculate benefit payments, but all states take prior earnings into account in some way. Some states consider the employee's prior annual earnings; others look at the employee's earnings during the highest paid quarter or two quarters of the base period.
