Dear resident,

This has been a week of highs and lows.

It was so hopeful and affirming to see the first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine arrive at DC hospitals! Per our Vaccination Plan, thousands of essential healthcare workers will receive the first of two vaccine shots in upcoming days! Initial distribution of the vaccine is rejuvenating, even though the risk of COVID transmission remains dangerously high in the challenging winter months ahead. There was further good news that both Maryland and Virginia have agreed to contribute thousands of vaccine doses to DC hospitals given these institutions are regional and doses were distributed to states based on residential population; a DC Health survey estimates approximately 75 percent of essential healthcare workers employed in DC live outside DC. 

Dear resident,

I wish you a happy and COVID-safe Thanksgiving celebration! For me, that means not hosting my extended family’s annual get-together given advice from our public health professionals to be indoors only with those in your immediate household. I will also miss my tradition of getting pre-turkey exercise with friends at one of the area’s charity turkey trots! I’ve decided instead to create my own 5K run (walk) to benefit some local nonprofits; I encourage other annual turkey trotters to consider doing the same for local groups of your choice, which are helping fill major safety net gaps at this time. 

Colder weather has brought on the predicted uptick in COVID+ cases in the District. Yesterday, Mayor Bowser announced additional restrictions (visual presentation here) to halt community spread of the virus, including reducing indoor restaurant seating capacity to 25 percent by Dec. 14; shutting down all live music venues and indoor gym classes immediately; limiting indoor worship services to 50 people; and keeping all indoor gatherings at 10 people or less.

On Wednesday, December 9 at 9:00am, Councilmember Elissa Silverman, Chairperson of the Committee on Labor and Workforce Development, will hold a public oversight roundtable before the Committee on the District’s unemployment compensation program. The roundtable will consider the challenges District workers continue to face in applying for unemployment insurance benefits under expanded programs available during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tune in via DC Cable Channel 13 or online at www.dccouncil.us.

Click here for the Official Hearing Notice and here for the Final Agenda and Witness List.

On Monday, November 16 at 3:00pm, Councilmember Elissa Silverman, Chairperson of the Committee on Labor and Workforce Development, will hold a public hearing before the Committee on B23-985 the Unemployment Benefits Extension Amendment Act of 2020. This Act will amend the District of Columbia Unemployment Compensation Act to qualify District workers for additional weeks of unemployment insurance and pandemic unemployment assistance benefits under the Extended Benefits program. A companion emergency measure was passed by the Council on October 20, 2020 (B23-983), and a temporary measure (B23-984) passed its first vote on that date.

Find the official copy of the hearing announcement here. Find a draft agenda and witness list here. 

Those who wish to watch live can tune in online via the DC Council Channel or TV Channel 13.

Dear resident,

Today is the first day of in-person, early voting in DC! I was at Sherwood Rec near my home in Ward 6 when polls opened at 8:30 a.m., and though there was a line, it moved quite efficiently! Two reminders: You can vote at any early voting center across the city; the list of sites is here. And for our seniors and residents with a disability, curbside voting (which allows you to vote outside on a hand-held computer) is available!

We face many challenging decisions in the upcoming days and months, both as individuals and as a city. First, I know many of you, like me, are wrestling with how to celebrate upcoming holidays safely and responsibly. I want you to be aware of guidance DC Health has issued both for Halloween and Thanksgiving. Here’s what we are seeing through contact tracing interviews: COVID+ residents report with some frequency attending small group gatherings with family and friends prior to testing positive. I usually host Thanksgiving and love that my Maryland and Virginia family have a tradition of gathering at my home, but it’s not happening this year. DC Health considers that high-risk, and I am heeding that warning.

On October 26, 2020 at 10:00am, Councilmember Elissa Silverman (I-At-Large), Chairperson of the Committee on Labor and Workforce Development, will host a Public Oversight Roundtable on Unemployment Insurance Programs in the District During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Public witnesses are welcome to sign up, and may use their phone or computer to participate in this virtual roundtable. The hearing will be available for live viewing on DC Cable Channel 13 and online at www.dccouncil.us.

Click here for the Official Hearing Notice and here for the final agenda and witness list. 

This UI Roundtable will focus on three topics: 

1. DC’s short-time compensation (or “shared work”) program.
2. Seamlessly transitioning claimants to additional weeks of benefits through PEUC and EB.
3. Clearing the PUA claims and payment backlog.

If you are unable to testify at the roundtable, written and voicemail statements will be accepted as part of the official record until Monday, November 9, 2020. Additional details on testifying below.

On Wednesday, September 16, 2020, Councilmember Elissa Silverman (I-At-Large), Chair of the Committee on Labor and Workforce Development held a Public Oversight Hearing on on the District’s unemployment compensation program during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Hearing aired on the DC Council's Live Stream channel and TV Channel 13. The official hearing announcement can be found here.

The government witness portion of the hearing with the Department of Employment Services (DOES) was reschedule for September 30 at 3:00pm. The hearing can be viewed on the DC Council's Live Stream channel and on TV Channel 13.

DC workers and others interested in submitting their thoughts or official testimony for the record can do so in two ways:

1. Written and voicemail statements submitted by email to labor@dccouncil.us or by calling 202-455-0153.
2. Filling our our new online survey. You can choose to submit your survey responses as official testimony, or just use the survey to provide feedback to the Committee and Councilmember Silverman to inform and improve their work with the Department of Employment Services (DOES).

The deadline for survey responses and formal testimony submission is October 7, 2020.

The hearing agenda, list of witnesses, and testimonies can be found here and below.

On Wednesday, September 16, 2020, Councilmember Elissa Silverman (I-At-Large), Chair of the Committee on Labor and Workforce Development will hold a Public Oversight Hearing on on the District’s unemployment compensation program during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Hearing will air on the DC Council's Live Stream channel and TV Channel 13.

Those who wish to testify live must email the Committee at labor@dccouncil.us by 5:00 p.m. on Monday, September 14, 2020. 

If you are unable to testify live, written and voicemail statements will be made a part of the official record. Statements should be submitted by email to labor@dccouncil.us or by calling (202) 455-0153 by 5:00 p.m. on October 7, 2020 (this date has been extended from the original deadline of September 30).

A complete hearing announcement along with instructions for submitting live testimony, as well as written or phone testimony, can be found here and below.