How many Work Share & CARES Act benefits should I receive? 
With the arrival of benefit payments to most employees, many are wondering how many payments to expect.  The following is a basic guideline based on the number of days you are scheduled to work.  Your eligibility to participate in Work Share ended when your scheduled work year ended because you were no longer able to reduce your work schedule by 20%. The actual number of payments for each person can vary based on eligibility date, leave taken during the program, and other factors.  

As part of its standard practice, OED processed the “waiting week” first and sent letters to Work Share employees regarding the waiting week. OED has completed processing of the first week and is now processing payments for subsequent weeks. 

• Scheduled for 182 Day Work Days:  You were potentially eligible to participate in 5 weeks of the Work Share program.  Please note your 5th and final payment will be delayed due to the waiting week.
• Fridays reduced were May 8, 15, 22, 29, and June 5.
  
  
• Scheduled for 192 Work Days:  You were potentially eligible to participate in 6 weeks of the Work Share program.  Please note your 6th and final payment will be delayed due to the waiting week.
• Fridays reduced were May 8, 15, 22, 29, and June 5, 12.
  
  
• Scheduled for 202 and 210 Work Days:  You were potentially eligible to participate in 7 weeks of the Work Share program.   Please note your 7th and final payment will be delayed due to the waiting week.
• Fridays reduced were May 8, 15, 22, 29, and June 5, 12, 19.
  
  
• Scheduled for 225 Work Days:  Your potential participation is 8 weeks. Please note your final payment will be delayed due to the waiting week.
• Fridays reduced were May 8, 15, 22, 2, and June 5, 12, 19, 26.
  
  
• Scheduled for 233 Work Days:  Your potential participation is 10 weeks.  Eligible participants had a base of 8 weeks through June 26.  For those who selected 2 additional work weeks in July based on contractually required work days, the total participation is 10 weeks. Please note your final payment will be delayed due to the waiting week. 
• Fridays reduced were May 8, 15, 22, 29; June 5, 12, 19, 26; and 2 weeks in July.
  
  
• Scheduled for 260 Work Days:  Your potential participation is 12 weeks.  The last day of the Work Share program is July 24.  Please note your final payment will be delayed due to the waiting week.
• All Fridays between May 8 and July 24.

Since the Governor eliminated the waiting week, when will I get paid for the first week?
Governor Brown announced months ago that she was waiving the unemployment benefits waiting week. However, OED’s system has not been upgraded to meet that requirement. Once OED implements a fix, payments for the “waiting week” will be issued. 

As part of its standard practice, OED processed the “waiting week” first and sent letters to Work Share employees regarding the waiting week. OED has completed processing of the first week and is now processing payments for subsequent weeks. 

When will I receive my unemployment benefits & CARES Act payment 
You should receive your first payment by check or direct deposit by Monday, July 13. You will receive two checks in each payment: One for the Work Share benefits and the other for the CARES Act portion of $600 (tax withholding may apply).

OED informs us that they will process each subsequent payment after the first payment every 4-5 business days until we are caught up to the current week.

You should have received a benefit payment from OED/Work Share.  However, we are hearing that some eligible employees have not received a benefit payment. To address any OED errors and identify follow up support for you, please complete this form if you have not received payment.  We will reach out to OED based on the information you provide to request additional guidance we can share and support the resolution of issues.  

If you have additional questions, please contact send your questions to hronline@pps.net.

Can you explain the amount of benefit payment I received?
You should be receiving two payments for each week of Work Share. One payment is for the Oregon unemployment benefit. The other payment is the federal CARES Act payment.

Many of you have had questions regarding the amount of your two benefit payments. Here is an example of what you will see:

Check/Deposit 1 - CARES Payment. This is the same amount for everyone.

• CARES Payment:  $600 (before taxes) or $504 (after taxes)

Check/Deposit 2 - Oregon Unemployment Benefit. This amount will vary from employee to employee as determined by OED based on your personal earnings and eligibility under Oregon law.  

Your letter notification from OED will identify (1) your total weekly eligibility for unemployment benefits, and (2) your actual Work Share payment of 20% of your total weekly unemployment benefits.  (Remember that the Work Share program is a 20% reduction in employment; therefore you are eligible for 20% of your full unemployment benefit.)  

For example:

• Total (100%) Weekly Benefit Eligibility Amount: $388
• Work Share (20%) Weekly Benefit payment:  $77.60 (before taxes) or $64 (after taxes)

I received a confusing letter from OED.  What should I do?
OED is sending inaccurate and confusing letters to some employees. While we are not sure what every letter may be, here are several that we are aware of:

• Waiting Week Period
• As we emailed last week, Governor Brown announced months ago that she was waiving the unemployment benefits waiting week. However, OED’s system has not been upgraded to meet that requirement. Once OED implements a fix, payments for the “waiting week” will be issued. 
• As part of its standard practice, OED processed the “waiting week” first and sent letters to Work Share employees regarding the waiting week. OED has completed processing of the first week and is now processing payments for subsequent weeks.
• School Recess and Form 385-E
• You may receive a letter stating you are not eligible for benefits due to School Recess.   You should ignore this letter, and you should ignore the direction to complete form 385-E.
• This is another automated notification from OED that is inaccurate and requires a fix.  OED anticipates a fix in approximately a week.   
• Statement of no benefits for the weeks of May 3rd or May 10th 
• OED has acknowledged that some employees are getting inaccurate statements that they are not eligible for the weeks of May 3rd or May 10th week.
• You should continue to watch for your first check, which should arrive by Monday 7/13.  On Monday, we will email next steps for employees who have not yet received a payment.
• Work Authorization request
• You should provide the requested information to Work Share if you receive this request.
• Your employment was terminated at a former employer, which has made you ineligible.
• OED has acknowledged that these letters are also inaccurate. You are not ineligible because of any reason of separation of employment with another employer. 
• You should continue to watch for your first check, which should arrive by Monday 7/13.  On Monday, we will email next steps for employees who have not yet received a payment.

ReliaCard FAQ
Information about ReliaCard can be found on ReliaCard's website or you can review this ReliaCard FAQ.  You can learn more about:

• Logging into your account.
• How and when you can use the card.
• How to transfer your balance to a bank account

Will I get a notice each time OED/Work Share sends a benefit payment?
OED/Work Share has said they will not send notices when each weekly claim is processed and benefit payments sent. You should monitor your direct deposit, ReliaCard, and mail for payments. ReliaCard Frequently Asked Questions.

My co-worker received their check, when will my check come?
If you have not received a payment by Monday, 7/13, you should contact Work Share at 503-947-1800.  Work Share can provide guidance on your benefit payment and determine if payment(s) should be re-issued. 

I submitted my form for direct deposit.  When will direct deposit begin?
Work Share has notified us they are multiple weeks behind on processing direct deposit requests.  They are unable to provide an anticipated date when direct deposit will begin.

If your direct deposit is not set up, you will receive a Reliacard in the mail. Payments will be deposited on the card until your direct deposit is set up.

Will my next payment include all the back dated payments or will the payments be sent separately?
Each week's benefit will be sent separately as Work Share is able to process each week’s claims.  All claims through June 5th will be processed by Friday, July 10, 2020.  You should receive the payment by July 17, 2020. 

Why did I get two different checks?  
The Oregon Employment Department systems are not configured to support a single payment for both the unemployment benefit and the CARES dollars.

When will the next check come?
Work Share is now processing PPS claims on a regular basis.  You should anticipate regular payments for the number of weeks you participated in Work Share. 

My unemployment benefit was smaller than anticipated.
OED determines the weekly calculation for the amount of unemployment benefit. The benefit amount is based on a variety of factors including additional wages, retirement benefits, prior unemployment benefits, etc. 

Benefits will be reduced if you selected to have taxes withheld.

To understand the reason for your exact calculation, contact Work Share at 503-947-1800.

I received a letter from the Oregon Employment Department indicating I am not eligible for work share payment for a particular week. What do I do?
OED determines the weekly calculation for the amount of unemployment benefit. If you were denied benefits for a week, you will need to contact OED directly to inquire about the reason. Work Share can be contacted at 503-947-1800.  

If the reason you received no benefits for the week was due to earnings from a second job or retirement, please notify hronline@pps.net and include this information in your email. HR will further review your situation and provide guidance on next steps.

I received a letter from the Oregon Employment Department that said I am not eligible for a benefit payment. Will PPS reimburse me for my lost wages?
In cases where OED/Work Share has asked for additional documentation, for example work authorization documents, you should provide the information requested.  

If you were denied benefits, provide the letter to HR and we will review and provide further guidance.

 

How will I receive payments through the Work Share Program and CARES Act?
Your first payment will be a paper check that is mailed to the address you provide on the initial claim form. After your first payment, you will receive payments that are preloaded onto a debit card (Visa ReliaCard) that is mailed to you. If you set up Direct Deposit, you may receive deposits directly to your account.

Are the payments taxed?
Yes, payments under the Work Share program and CARES Act are taxable income.  You may elect to have taxes withheld from your unemployment compensation payments. When you submit your Initial Claim Form, you can submit the Tax Withholding Form (English | Spanish)  at the same time. 

At the end of January next year, you will receive a mailed Form 1099-G from the Oregon Employment Department, which is a Statement for Recipients of Unemployment Compensation, to use in filing your 2020 tax returns.

Can the state hold these payments if I am behind on state income tax payments or other payments (e.g., child support or alimony)?
Yes, garnishments will be deducted from Work Share and CARES Act payments in the same manner and to the same extent as these obligations are deducted from regular unemployment compensation.

Some debts are exempt from collection for a period of time under the CARES Act (such as certain federally guaranteed student loans).  You and the District should both receive a notice from the debt processor if your debt is exempt from collection during this period.  

 

Will the payments come with my PPS wage payments or will it be a separate payment?
The payments will come from the Oregon Employment Department. They will come as separate payments.

 

If I am an employee that works 10 months and gets paid over 12 months, will my paychecks be lower?
Your May 31 paycheck will reflect reductions for the days PPS is closed on May 8 and May 15.  Your June 30 paycheck will reflect reductions for 4 days that PPS is closed (May 22, 29, June 5, June 12) in the pay period of May 16-June 15.

Because their work hours and pay will also be reduced by 20%, part-time employees who work 10 months will also see a reduction on their May 31 and June 30 paychecks, even if they were not scheduled to work on days PPS is closed. 

How does this affect 192, 202, 210, 233, and 260 day employees?
You are only eligible to receive compensation through the WorkShare program for the weeks that you work 20% less than your regular work week, regardless of whether you work less than 12 months but are paid over 12 months.

Eligible 192 employees who work with Columbia Regional Program or the Special Education Early Childhood Team have a different work year calendar from the standard 192 calendar.  These employees will remain in the Work Share program for the weeks they are scheduled to work. Please talk with your supervisor if you have any questions.

Is the time a person spends in Work Share counted against their unemployment benefit amount if they were to be fully laid off in the future?
Yes, when a person is approved for unemployment compensation, Work Share or regular, they are approved for one year. A weekly benefit amount and a full benefit amount is determined. If the person is on regular unemployment compensation the full benefit amount is usually exhausted in 26 weeks.  If a person is on Work Share, they will receive 20% to 40% of their weekly benefit amount, every week. Once they go on regular unemployment, they will finish out their regular unemployment compensation when they exhaust their full benefit amount, which will depend on how many weeks they were in Work Share and by what percentage their hours were reduced.

Is there a one-week waiting period before receiving unemployment benefits?
Governor Brown announced months ago that she was waiving the unemployment benefits waiting week. However, OED’s system has not been upgraded to meet that requirement. Once OED implements a fix, payments for the “waiting week” will be issued. 

As part of its standard practice, OED processed the “waiting week” first and sent letters to Work Share employees regarding the waiting week. OED has completed processing of the first week and is now processing payments for subsequent weeks.

Can you post an example of the impacts of the 20% hours reduction and resulting unemployment and CARES Act payments?
These examples are based on estimates.  

For those who are eligible, you will earn $600 per week through the CARES Act plus the weekly benefit amount through the Work Share program. ​ The Oregon Employment Department determines eligibility and amount. The Oregon Employment Department has an online benefit estimator to estimate your regular unemployment payment.  Under the Work Share program, you would receive 20% of regular unemployment:  https://secure.emp.state.or.us/ocs/estimator/index.cfm 

My PPS paycheck shows a deduction line item called, “PERS WORK SHARE ADJ” in the Before-Tax Deductions and the same item with payback in the Employer Paid Benefits section. What does this mean? 
The employer contribution to PERS is based on 100% of your total earned wages. The employee contribution is credited for the furlough earnings that were reduced. This credit is represented by the before-tax deduction on your paycheck labeled "PERS WORK SHARE ADJ".

In order to accomplish the correct employer contribution, the employer paid amount was reduced in the “Before-Tax Deduction’ section and added back under the ”Employer Paid Benefits” section.

Work Share is an Oregon unemployment benefits program that offers an alternative to laying off employees by reducing work hours instead. Eligible staff whose hours and wages are reduced receive a portion of their regular unemployment insurance benefits to compensate for the lost wages. 

PPS is participating in the Work Share program by reducing eligible employees’ hours and PPS pay by 20%.

Will this have any impact on my retirement benefits?
If you retired under the PERS Bubble, you will be excluded from participating in the Work Share program.

• Updated guidance from PERS contradicts the initial guidance from the Oregon Employment Department concerning PERS contributions. Earning levels to PERS will be reported at the reduced 80% earnings rate.   Retiring after 2022:  The reduced earnings should not have an impact on your final retirement income.  Retirement income is based on the three highest earning years which will not include the reduced earnings from 2020.  
• Retiring before 2022:  PPS is working to resolve this issue with PERS and the Oregon Employment Department.  Resolution for this situation and additional information will be provided to employees when they provide notice of intent to retire.  

The employee contribution will be based on your actual, reduced wages due to your reduced schedule.  (No change or update for this action)

There will be no reduction in creditable service.  You will receive a full month of creditable service for each month for which you are working a reduced schedule. For school district employees, a major fraction of a month is treated as a full month for creditable service.

 

Will this have any impact on my health benefits?
No.  Under a Work Share program, health benefits are not reduced.

Will my vacation and sick leave accrual rates change?
All leave accrual will remain the same.

What if I will be receiving retirement pay within the next 12 months?
You are still eligible to participate in the WorkShare program. There will be no reduction in your creditable service.

There will be no reduction in creditable service because, for school district employees, a major fraction of a month is treated as a full month for creditable service.

There will be no impact on your final average salary because the employer contribution will be based on 100% of your normal wages (not your reduced wages), and the employer contribution that PPS will make will not change because of your reduced schedule.

What if I am currently receiving retirement pay?
If you are receiving retirement pay you will need to report this on your initial claim application. 

If an employee is receiving retirement from an employer they worked for within the last 18 months, this may affect their eligibility to participate in the Work Share program.  This retirement pay will be deducted dollar for dollar against their weekly benefit amount for regular unemployment insurance. To be eligible for compensation through Work Share and the CARES funds, you must be eligible for at least $1 of unemployment compensation.

For each week that you are eligible for the Work Share program, you must complete this form every Monday by 5:00 pm for the previous week to report pay received from an annuity, pension, or retirement. If you receive income from Social Security, you do not need to report these wages. Additional information regarding weekly reporting can be found on this website.

What if I am currently receiving money through an IRA distribution?
Money you receive through an IRA distribution could affect your eligibility to participate in the Work Share program. The money you receive will be deducted dollar for dollar against your weekly benefit amount for regular unemployment insurance.

For each week that you are eligible for the Work Share program, you must complete this form every Monday by 5:00 pm for the previous week to report pay received from an annuity, pension, or retirement. Additional information regarding weekly reporting can be found on this website.

What if I am receiving Social Security?
Receiving Social Security will not impact your eligibility to receive unemployment benefits under the Work Share program.

Are all work groups and departments affected by the partial furlough (20% reduction in hours and PPS pay)?
All senior leadership, non-represented employees, and represented employees are participating in the partial furlough, unless ineligible. Employees who are ineligible for the Work Share program will receive an email by May 7 and will not have their schedules or pay reduced through the Work Share program. be furloughed.

All departments are subject to the partial furlough.  

There are individual employees who are excluded from the partial furlough because they do not qualify under state law, including:

• Their length of employment with the district does not meet the threshold of 6 months for full-time employees / 12 months for part-time employees.
• They are on a leave of absence, short leave, or partial leave of absence. Oregon Employment Department does not allow the use of leave during a reduced work week. For more information about how short leave impacts employee’s eligibility here.
• They are a limited term employee. 
• Certain employees who retired from PPS in the past 18 months, including those who are working “the bubble”.  
• They are a substitute educator, paraeducator, or secretary, including those in long-term sub jobs.

Is the Superintendent participating?
Yes.  No one is excluded simply by the rank or position they hold.  We are all in this together.

What if I get email or questions on a day or time that I am not scheduled to work (i.e., Friday)?
You may not perform work during the time your schedule has been reduced.  All work needs to be done in the usual course on a day you are scheduled to work.

What if I don’t want to participate in the Work Share program?

• The reduction in hours is mandatory, and your PPS wages will be reduced by 20%, unless you are in one of the categories of employees ineligible for the Work Share program. 
• If you don’t want to participate in the unemployment compensation/Work Share process and do not want to receive payments, do not submit an initial claim application.  Your participation in the Work Share program is voluntary.  However, if you choose not to participate and you are eligible, you will still work a reduced schedule and your PPS wages will be reduced.

Who is eligible to receive unemployment compensation through the Oregon Work Share program
Work Share is an unemployment insurance program in Oregon that allows workers to receive partial unemployment benefits while avoiding full layoffs.   You must be eligible for Oregon’s Work Share program to participate.

Generally speaking, to be eligible for unemployment benefits under Work Share, you:

• Must be employed continuously (and not on a limited term) by PPS full-time for the past 6 months or part-time for the past 12 months. 

• Must not be a limited term employee or a substitute employee.

• Must be available to work your reduced hours in the week of the Work Share program (so you must not be on a leave or take leave).

• Must not have recently exhausted employment benefits.

Eligibility is determined solely by the Oregon Employment Department based on state law.  PPS has no authority to decide if an employee is eligible for unemployment benefits.

If you are eligible for Oregon Work Share unemployment benefits in any week for any amount, you will automatically be eligible for an additional $600/week of federal CARES Act payments through the last pay period that ends on or before July 24, 2020.

I live in Washington.  Do I apply in Oregon or Washington for unemployment benefits?
You apply in Oregon - following the same process as employees who live in Oregon.  Washington residents who work in Oregon can apply for Oregon unemployment benefits.

Effective June 16, PPS was informed that Washington residents are required to provide a second confirmation that they want to be included in the Oregon Work Share program. Instructions for completing this confirmation were emailed to eligible Washington residents today. Please review your email or this website for details. If you have questions please contact HR at hronline@pps.net

What happens if I’m not eligible?  Or what if I’m eligible for unemployment, but my benefits are $0?
If you are not eligible for unemployment benefits or your benefit amount is $0, then you will not have a reduction in your PPS hours and your PPS wages will remain the same.

Will I still be on a reduced schedule if I’m not eligible?
No, if you are not eligible you will not be placed on a reduced schedule nor have reduced pay.

What if I’m not eligible now but will be before July 24, 2020?
If you become eligible before July 24, 2020, and within your regular work year, you will be added as a participant in the Work Share program at that time and you will start working a reduced schedule.  

How will I know if I am ineligible?
You should assume that you are eligible.  PPS will reach out to you if, based on the information we have, we know that you are ineligible or if we become aware from the Oregon Employment Department that you are ineligible.

How is full-time and part-time defined?
For purposes of participation in the Work Share program, employees who are .75 FTE and greater are full-time and employees who are .75 FTE and less are part-time. 

I am authorized to work for PPS through a visa (H1-B, J1, etc.),  green card, or DACA status. Am I eligible for the CARES Act money?Foreign nationals who are authorized to work in the U.S. may be eligible to apply for Work Share unemployment benefits and the CARES Act $600 payment. Ultimately, the Oregon Employment Department, not PPS, makes all decisions concerning unemployment benefits. Employees with specific questions regarding their eligibility for Work Share unemployment benefits should consult with an immigration attorney, and can contact Human Resources at hronline@pps.net.

I have a second job. Will this affect my payment amount through Work Share?
Maybe. You will report income for other employment and from retirement during the past two years on the initial claim form. It is possible to earn too much income from other sources to receive unemployment benefit payments, even if you are otherwise eligible for unemployment. You will also be required to report to PPS any income earned from a second employer on a weekly basis.

If you receive additional income from other employment that makes you ineligible for at least $1 under the Work Share program, PPS will exclude you as a participant going forward.  You will be returned to your regular hours and pay. If this happens, you will be able to use available paid leave to cover the time that your hours were reduced.

What if I work two jobs at PPS (e.g.,  paraeducator and coach)?

Coaches and coach job related work and earnings are not eligible for Work Share.

If you work two jobs, for example a part-time paraeducator and part-time school secretary, you will need to reduce the hours for both positions by 20%.  

I/my spouse make too much to get the $1,200 federal stimulus payment.  Will I still be eligible for the $600 CARES Act money?
Yes, if you are otherwise eligible for unemployment compensation.  The federal $1,200 payment is different from and unrelated to state unemployment compensation or the CARES Act $600 weekly payment. 

How much will I earn through Work Share and the CARES Act?
For those who are eligible, you will earn $600 per week through the CARES Act plus the weekly benefit amount through the Work Share program. ​

The Oregon Employment Department has an online benefit estimator to estimate your regular unemployment payment.  Under the Work Share program, you would receive 20% of regular unemployment:  https://secure.emp.state.or.us/ocs/estimator/index.cfm 

Is there assistance to help fill out the initial claim application? 
The Initial Claim Form was due by 5:00 pm on Thursday, May 21.  If you missed that deadline you must complete the paper copy of the Initial Claim Form. You must complete this as soon as possible to avoid further delays in receiving payments from OED. Instructions are available here.

If you need assistance completing the form, please email hronline@pps.net or call 503-916-3544. If we are unable to answer, please leave a voicemail and someone will return your call as soon as possible. 

I participate in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF). Will participating in the Work Share program affect my eligibility to participate in PSLF?
PSLF is a program through the U.S. Department of Education. At this time, we do not know of any impact by participating in the Work Share program. When asked about employment, we report the pre-Work Share employment.  For example, 1.0 FTE employee is still 1.0 in our system when they working a reduced schedule as part of the Work Share program.  We will share any additional information that we learn.

Will participation in the Work Share program affect my eligibility to receive benefits through programs such as Head Start and SNAP?These are income-based programs. We have received information that Head Start performance standards state that eligibility for Fall 2020 enrollment may be verified using 2019 total year income or by looking at the previous 12 months of income. We are looking into how additional income earned through participation in  Work Share may affect eligibility for SNAP benefits. We will share any additional information that we learn. Please note that eligibility determinations are made by these programs, and not by PPS.  We recommend you ask the programs directly.

Will having reduced hours mean there will be no staff cuts next school year? 
We do not know the full extent of the 2020-21 budget shortfall at this time, but we know that the money saved through our participation in the Work Share program will not only help this year, but will also help next year.  We will continue to provide updates as we learn more. 

Will these unemployment payments for reduced hours make the state budget situation worse? 
No, it will bring federal stimulus funds intended to offset the financial impact of COVID into the state.  Through the CARES Act, the federal government reimburses the state for 100% of Work Share unemployment benefits. Participating in the Work Share program and taking advantage of the additional compensation through the CARES Act will help PPS to reduce the need for immediate layoffs and to minimize budget-reduction impacts for next school year without a drain on state resources.

 

If we are closed on Friday, what about food distribution for that day at nutrition hub sites?
The nutrition hub sites will still operate Monday-Thursday. On Thursday, food will be distributed for Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. 

How do I report a change of address?
If you need to update your address, you must update your contact information with both Portland Public Schools AND Oregon Employment Department’s Work Share Program. Address changes must be submitted by the employee, the employer is not able to update Work Share on your behalf.

• To update your address with PPS log in to Employee Self-Service and go to Personal Details and submit an address change.
• To update your address with Work Share send an email to OED_workshare@oregon.gov with your new address.  Include your Claim Identification Number or your name and the last four numbers of your social security number. 

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
State of Oregon Work Share Program: https://www.oregon.gov/employ/unemployment/pages/work-share-program.aspx

Federal Cares Act, Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation, Guidance from the US Dept. of Labor: https://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?DOCN=9297