How Long Will I Receive Unemployment Benefits
Most states unemployment benefits cover 26 weeks the CARES Act extended this period by 13 weeks, giving most people a total of 39 weeks of coverage. Florida residents, for example, who formerly received unemployment benefits for 12 weeks, are now covered for a total of 25 weeks. Note that if you had already exhausted all of your state-provided unemployment benefits, you could reapply for the federal programs additional 13 weeks.
For now, its unclear whether or for how long future legislation would expand this coverage period. Pandemic Unemployment Assistance will expire on Dec. 31.
Understanding Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation
Because states and businesses have shuttered due to the COVID-19 crisis, millions of laid-off workers in the U.S. continue to depend on unemployment insurance to help cover rent, groceries, and other expenses. But what if you are already unemployed and your benefits have run out?
The CARES Act established the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation program to allow people who had exhausted their unemployment compensation benefits to receive up to 13 additional weeks of benefits, provided they are able to work, available to work, and actively seeking work.
As stated earlier, benefits under the PEUC program were due to expire Dec. 31, 2020, but were extended through Sept. 5, 2021, first as a result of the Consolidated Appropriations Act , 2021, and then by the American Rescue Plan. Currently, individuals could collect unemployment benefits for a total of 53 weeks . The plan expired on September 5, 2021.
Previously, 26 states elected to end the $300 federal supplement early. The best way to confirm the status of your unemployment benefits is to check with your states unemployment office. The Department of Labor lists the contact information for all fifty states labor offices on its website.
Stimulus checks and other benefits for qualified individuals passed as part of the Consolidated Appropriations and American Rescue Plan Acts are not unemployment benefits and are administered by the U.S. Treasury Department.
What If I Dont Normally Have To File Taxes But Want To Claim A Missing Stimulus Check
If you typically arent required to file taxes because youre on SSI or SSDI, youre retired, or you dont meet the IRS income threshold, but you need to claim missing stimulus money, you will have to file a 2020 tax return. The good news is, youll likely be eligible to use the IRS Free File program to do so. Weve got a guide for how nonfilers can get started filing their 2020 tax return to claim stimulus money here.
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Unemployment Tax Refunds Update & Amended Return Requirements
Krystal-July 17, 2021
Today, were going to give an update on what exactly is going on with your money.
We know a lot of you are waiting on tax refunds, stimulus checks, and even child tax credit payments.
But recently, the IRS just announced that they are sending out refunds to 4 million people!
And this is related to the millions of people who were wrongfully taxed last year on their unemployment compensation.
If you lost your job last year and started collecting unemployment benefits from the government, this update applies to you.
For this round, the IRS identified about 4.6 million taxpayers who may be due an adjustment on their return because of this.
And of that, about 4 million taxpayers are expected to receive a refund.
The average refund is $1,265, which means some taxpayers will receive a little more and some will receive a little less.
Now, we know what you might be thinking that this is old news and you have been waiting forever to receive your refund and none of this is new.
But hear us out. There are a few new items that you need to be aware of, like if you need to file an amended return in order to receive your refund in a timely manner.
So be sure to read this post until the very end and lets get started!
In this post, were going to give you the latest unemployment tax refunds update.
As well as break down to you what you need to know in order for you to claim your unemployment tax refund based on recent updates from the IRS.
You Don’t Understand Why Your Claim Is Pending
It typically takes a week for an unemployment claim to be verified by the state, says Edgar Ndjatou, executive director at Workplace Fairness, a nonprofit advocacy organization. During this time, agency reviewers must confirm with your previous employer the details of your work history, earnings and reason for leaving. They might also need to call you to verify details of your claim.
However, given the unprecedented level of unemployment claims, this traditional week-long process is likely to take much longer than usual.
“I can’t see anybody not waiting a little while to get their benefits,” Evermore says. She points out that unemployment offices are beefing up their capacity to handle activity by hiring more phone representatives, overhauling outdated websites and expanding service hours.
It’s also possible your claim is still pending because you qualify for a program that hasn’t rolled out in your state yet.
New York, for example, allowed self-employed workers to start filing claims in late March but marked submissions as “pending” until it rolled out the systems to handle PUA applications this week.
If your application is, in fact, stuck in limbo due to an error , you should receive a notification of how to fix it. You’ll be directed to make the correction either online or by phone. This can cause a delay of several weeks.
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I Am An Independent Contractor Am I Eligible For Unemployment Benefits Under The Cares Act
You may be eligible for unemployment benefits, depending on your personal circumstances and how your state chooses to implement the CARES Act. States are permitted to provide Pandemic Unemployment Assistance to individuals who are self-employed, seeking part-time employment, or who otherwise would not qualify for regular unemployment compensation. To qualify for PUA benefits, you must not be eligible for regular unemployment benefits and be unemployed, partially unemployed, or unable or unavailable to work because of certain health or economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The PUA program provides up to 39 weeks of benefits, which are available retroactively starting with weeks of unemployment beginning on or after January 27, 2020, and ending on or before December 31, 2020. The amount of benefits paid out will vary by state and are calculated based on the weekly benefit amounts provided under a states unemployment insurance laws. Under the CARES Act, the WBA may be supplemented by the additional unemployment assistance provided under the Act.
Other Types Of Benefits And Programs For The Unemployed
Educational Help
Federal agencies offer many unemployment education and training programs. They are generally free or low cost to the unemployed.
Self-Employment Help
Self-employment assistance programs help unemployed workers start their own small businesses. Delaware, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New York, and Oregon offer this program.
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Other Unemployment Insurance Questions
I am returning to work. Do I need to do anything to notify the Department of Labor?
If you are returning to work, you do not need to notify the Department at this time. You simply should stop filing your weekly claims. If you file for a week you are fully employed, that is fraudulent activity and you will be denied benefits. If you work and perform work during a week in which you are filing for UI benefits, you must report the hours worked and wages earned.
My claim has been in adjudication for a few weeks now. Is there a timeline for when I will receive a determination?
If your claim is in adjudication, it will be adjudicated in the order it was received.
How do I reset my PIN?
If you need your PIN reset, you may call our supplemental phone line at 888-807-7072.
I was already on unemployment before COVID-19, do I still need to be looking for work?
No. All work search requirements have been waived as result of COVID-19. The Department will notify claimants when work search requirements are reinstated.
My return to work date has passed. I dont know when I will be going back to work, so how do I update that?
At this time, you do not need to update your return to work date. The Department will announce any changes to this process.
Why am I getting SSN not found when filing my weekly claim?
You are likely experiencing SSN not found for one of the following reasons:
What You Need To Know
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Update 12/29/20: The federal government has extended the federal unemployment benefit programs available through the CARES Act for an additional 11 weeks. Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation will be available through March 14, 2021, with qualified claimants benefits fully phasing out by April 5, 2021. Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation benefits will resume with $300 weekly payments until March 14, 2021.
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To receive these extended federal benefits, continue to certify weekly while unemployed. To allow your fellow New Yorkers to reach NYS DOL representatives about regular matters, please do not call to inquire about the federal program extensions at this time. As we receive additional guidance on the federal programs from US DOL, we will provide updates on our website, social media platforms, and directly via emails and texts.
- Waiting weeks for unemployment benefits have been waived during this crisis. If youve seen the term waiting week on your payment history, it is a relic of our existing system and does NOT impact your benefits.
- To collect regular unemployment insurance benefits, you must be ready, willing, and able to work. We understand that many of you are unable to work due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact of NYS on PAUSE. If you would otherwise be able to work, you should answer YES in order to receive your benefits.
Next Section
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What Does It Mean If My Claim Is Pending
After you file your claim for unemployment insurance, your last employer is given, by law, 10 days to respond to DES about your claim. No payment will be released until after this 10-day period. Your claim may be pending during this period.
If your employer does not respond within 10 days, and you have identified coronavirus as the reason for separation from employment, the system will automatically adjudicate the issue. If all requirements are met, benefits will be paid. The employer will be notified of this determination of benefits by mail. If the employer feels the claim is not valid, they may appeal the determination.
My Employer Has Called Me Back To Work What Happens If I Choose Not To Return
Generally, an employee is disqualified from receiving further benefits if the employee chooses not to return to work after receiving notice to do so from their employer. If your employer has called you back and you did not return to work, you should report that you have refused an offer to work when filing your Weekly Certification. You will have an opportunity to provide more information about your reason for not returning to work.
DES will determine eligibility for unemployment benefits on a case-by-case basis.
You may continue to be eligible for benefits if you do not return to work for good cause. Examples of good cause related to COVID-19 can be found on the Returning to Work page.
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Benefit Year End Date
A regular unemployment insurance benefit year ends 12 months after the claim started.
You must reapply for a new claim if you earned enough wages in the last 18 months and are still unemployed or working part time. We will notify you when your new claim is processed. This usually takes two to three weeks.
- If youre unsure if you have enough wages as reported by an employer, log in to UI OnlineSM and select File New Claim. We will do one of the following:
- Immediately tell you that you do not have enough wages to establish a new claim.
- Provide instructions on how to submit a new application.
For more information, refer to the unemployment benefit calculator.
If you served in the military, worked for a federal government agency, or worked in a state outside of California within the last 18 months, you must reapply for a new claim by phone, mail, or fax.
You do not need to reapply if you did not earn enough wagesin the last 18 months to establish a new claim, regardless of whether you are on a regular claim, a federal extension, or Pandemic Unemployment Assistance . Continue to certify for benefits, and we will notify you when your benefit weeks are processed.
To find your benefit year end date, log in to UI OnlineSMand view your Claim Summary. Your benefit year end date is 12 months after the start of your Benefit Year.
For more information, refer to your Notice of Unemployment Insurance Award for your claim ending date or review Benefit Year End.
Fax
The End Of Pandemic Unemployment Assistance And Update On 2021 Extensions Retroactive Back Payments And Claim Payment Issues
The Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program was put in place primarily for those out-of-work Americans who are not eligible for regular state unemployment benefits and are unemployed, partially unemployed, or unable or unavailable to work because of certain health or economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jobless workers covered under the PUA program were generally self-employed who did not contribute taxes towards regular state unemployment .
While the PUA program was federally funded, including the most recent extension until September 6th, via the various stimulus bills passed over the last 18 months, it was administered at the State level under Department of Labor guidelines.
The implementation of the program has varied on a state-by-state basis and claimants faced hurdles and delays in getting timely payments. You can jump to the relevant extension section via the links below for further information on each extension, including FAQs around the evolution of the program and dealing with payment isuses.
Covered in this Article:
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Kokua Line: Is It Too Late To Backdate A Claim For Pandemic Unemployment Assistance
Question: I was denied UI but they said I might be eligible for PUA. But isnt it too late for that?
Answer: No, not for backdated benefits for claimants who qualify for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance after being denied standard Unemployment Insurance, according to the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations.
PUA will continue accepting applications from people in your situation until Oct. 4, according to the DLIRs informational website, hawaiiunemploymentinfo. com. We confirmed the application deadline with department spokesman Bill Kunstman.
If you are deemed eligible for PUA, your claim would be backdated to match the filing date of your denied Unemployment Insurance claim, according to the website.
Assuming that your PUA claim is approved, you would be paid for eligible weeks while the program was in force. You would not be paid for weeks beyond the week ending Sept. 4, which is when federal unemployment programs, including PUA, expired in Hawaii.
UI is the standard unemployment compensation program for regular employees who are laid off or furloughed it remains active. PUA is a federally funded program for the self-employed, gig workers and others ineligible for standard UI, whose ability to make a living was disrupted by the pandemic. As mentioned, PUA has expired, but backdated, eligible claims will be paid, the DLIR says.
For more information about filing a PUA claim, go to pua.hawaii.gov.
Mahalo
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How To Apply Apply For Unemployment Benefits
Online
To file a claim online, you must create an account on the UI Online portal. Please follow the steps below to create your UI Online account. For additional tutorials, please
If you have previously filed for unemployment benefits and forgot your password:
1. Follow these instructions to reset your UI Online password.
You can also apply for unemployment benefits or get help with your application by calling the TeleClaim Center. The number you call depends on your area code:
- 626-6800 from area codes 351, 413, 508, 774, and 978
- 626-6800 from any other area code
- 711 for Voice Relay
The TeleClaim Center hours are 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday.
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Will I Get My Retroactive Or Back Payments If My States End Benefits Early
With many states ending their participation in the federally funded unemployment programs several weeks earlier than the September 6th end date, a lot of claimants who have had delays or issues with their claims getting paid were naturally worried if they would get back payments. The answer is Yes. Because the funds are allocated at a federal level, the state unemployment agencies are obligated to pay any eligible new or existing claim payments prior to the end date of the states participation in the program.
States had to provide 30 days notice to the US DOL prior to ending the PUA, PEUC, $300 FPUC programs. This also requires them to ensure retroactive payments are made on claims prior to this notice period. After the states termination date no new or active claim payments will be made. Not surprisingly many states are still struggling with large backlogs and fraudulent claims, so it is expected it could take several weeks for some states to make back payments for eligible weeks.
