Allows unemployment benefits for workers who are on strike or are locked out of their workplaces by their employer due to a labor dispute.

Rhode Island Bill Summary: Unemployment Benefits During Labor Disputes

This bill would change Rhode Island's unemployment insurance system to allow workers to collect unemployment benefits if they are on strike or have been locked out of their workplace because of a labor dispute with their employer. Under current law, workers who are unemployed due to a strike or labor dispute are generally not eligible to receive these benefits. This proposal would remove that restriction.

The bill would most directly affect union members and other workers who participate in strikes or find themselves locked out when contract negotiations with their employer break down. If passed, these workers could apply for unemployment benefits to help cover basic living expenses — like rent and groceries — during the period they are not working due to the dispute. Employers and the state's unemployment insurance fund would also be affected, as more people would become eligible to draw from the fund, which is financed through employer payroll taxes.

Currently, the bill has been referred to the House Labor Committee, which has recommended it be held for further study, meaning it has not yet moved forward in the legislative process. A hearing is scheduled for March 2026. No final vote has taken place, so this is not yet law in Rhode Island.