I’m an H-1B holder unable to work during the shutdown — can I apply for unemployment benefits?
I’m an H-1B holder and haven’t been able to work during the shutdown period. I understand that if I don’t receive wages, my status could also disappear.
I’d like to know if I can apply for unemployment benefits in this situation, and how my status would be handled once I return to the company.
Since this falls under a situation where you’re unable to work due to something like a natural disaster — in this case, COVID-19 — returning to the company afterward would not be treated as a full termination. So you can temporarily apply for unemployment benefits. Also, once the shutdown ends and you return to work and start receiving wages again, this shouldn’t cause a major problem.