As a financial incentive, program participants will be eligible to receive a one-time monetary payment equal to 26 weeks of the Washington state employment security department’s weekly unemployment benefit amount in effect as of January 1st of the year the employee is approved for the program and separates from employment based on the employee’s earned wages in the previous calendar year as the applicable base year (or an earlier alternate base year if the employee did not have enough hours in the previous calendar year to qualify for unemployment benefits). For part-time employees, the payment will be prorated. (Added by Amended Ord. 20-058, Oct. 19, 2020, Eff date Oct. 30, 2020).