48% of professionals live paycheck to paycheck. State unemployment benefits aren’t compatible with modern living costs, capped by the government at ~$235-$500/week in most states, covering less than 15% of monthly expenses. A career gap due to a layoff is a financial crisis, not a temporary inconvenience.
Bridging the gap between a layoff at your last job and your next big thing.
Reliable income continuity when you need it most.
Your position is eliminated
due to a layoff.
Get approved for State
Unemployment benefits.
Benefits supplement up to 60%
of your monthly income.
Your career moves and your protection should too. Your policy is individually owned and stays with you across employers. Because Cushion is 100% private, we never contact your employer.
Coverage is triggered by a qualifying no-fault, involuntary separation, job loss or layoff from your employer—such as a corporate reduction in force (RIF) or position elimination. Voluntary resignations, quitting, or terminations for cause (such as misconduct, firing for performance) are excluded from coverage.
Yes. The vesting period is a 120-day waiting period (just like other types of insurance). This is to protect our members, ensuring others are not purchasing coverage only after they discover a layoff is imminent, protecting you and your coverage. Claims originating from a separation that occurs on or before day 120 of your policy are not eligible for coverage.
It's simple. After the 120-day vesting period, coverage is triggered when you notify us of a qualified involuntary no-fault job loss, and subsequent approval for State Unemployment benefits. From there, your coverage helps to supplement state unemployment benefits up to 60% of your monthly income (subject to policy caps) for up to 5 months or until you find new employment.
None at all. You can spend it on anything you need. Unlike rigid insurance structures, Cushion helps to deliver unrestricted cash payments directly to your bank account. Whether you use it to cover a mortgage or rent, maintain childcare, pay student loans, or preserve retirement accounts, you have total autonomy over spending of the funds.
No. Cushion is 100% private, individually owned and operates entirely outside of corporate HR channels. We confidentially verify income via secure, read-only, consumer-permissioned payroll APIs. We never contact your employer or HR department, keeping your coverage strictly private.
State unemployment is designed as a baseline safety net, and its maximum payouts typically cover less than 15% of a high-earning professional's monthly fixed obligations. Your Cushion policy is designed as a supplementary layer, paying out alongside state benefits to help keep your mortgage, lease, and daily life fully funded while you navigate your next career move.
You can select a Target Replacement Rate designed to help cover 40%, 50%, or up to a maximum of 60% of your verified gross income (when combined with state unemployment maximums). This ensures you have substantial runway while you figure out your next move.