This bill would allow workers engaged in labor disputes—including strikes and lockouts—to receive unemployment insurance benefits, a right currently denied in most states. Under the legislation, striking workers would become eligible for benefits starting either 14 days after a strike begins, when a lockout starts, when employers hire permanent replacement workers, or when the strike ends and the worker becomes unemployed, whichever comes first. The bill also exempts these workers from the standard requirement to be actively seeking other work while collecting unemployment benefits. The changes amend federal unemployment insurance rules under the Internal Revenue Code and the Social Security Act, meaning they would apply across all states that participate in the federal-state unemployment insurance system. No specific funding amount or implementation timeline is included in the legislation, which was introduced in September 2025.
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