Eligibility For Unemployment Insurance Benefits
To be eligible for UI benefits in 2021, a person must have earned at least $220 per week during 20 or more weeks in covered employment during the base year period. Alternatively, they must have earned at least $11,000 in total covered employment during the base year period.
To be eligible for UI benefits in 2022, the person must have earned at least $240 per week during 20 or more weeks in covered employment during the base year period. Alternatively, they must have earned at least $12,000 in total covered employment during the base-year period. UI benefits do not themselves count as monies earned from covered employment.
Unemployment Insurance Relief During Covid
Notice
The CARES Act gives states the option of extending unemployment compensation to independent contractors and other workers who are ordinarily ineligible for unemployment benefits. Please contact your states unemployment insurance office at the website or phone number provided below to learn more about the availability of these benefits where you live.
Tens Of Thousands In Nj To Get Extended Unemployment Benefits Thanks To 1 Woman
Senator Joe Vitale, Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, Assemblywoman Yvonne Lopez | November 17, 2020 | Star-Ledger |
If there is any doubt that any one of us can improve the lives of tens of thousands of her neighbors, Chrissy Ventre is living proof that one person can make all the difference.
Like so many others across our state, Chrissys husband was laid off in mid-March as the pandemic shut down businesses across New Jersey. He received 26 weeks of regular unemployment benefits and is now collecting 13 weeks of the federal unemployment benefits extension, all of which will exhaust on Nov. 14, leaving their family reliant on only Chrissys part-time income from her job as a child care provider.
Because federal law dictates that beneficiaries must have worked 20 weeks full-time during the base year of a claim or earned 40 times the unemployment weekly benefit rate, Chrissy believed that her husband was eligible for an additional 20 weeks of extended benefits. He had worked 21 weeks full-time but did not earn 40 times the weekly benefit rate.
Then Chrissy started seeing posts on Facebook that told her something very different: New Jersey law requires claimants to have worked 20 weeks full-time during the base year and to have earned at least 40 times their weekly benefit rate. The word and was going to be a problem for her family and for tens of thousands of other New Jerseyans whom our state would leave behind.
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Lost Wages Assistance Program
NJ has made all final payments under the LWA program, which provided supplemental payments to eligible unemployment benefits claimants who were unemployed, partially unemployed, or unable or unavailable to work due to disruptions caused by COVID-19. Roughly 800,000 workers in New Jersey were eligible for up to $1,800 in LWA benefits.
The NJ Labor Department has confirmed that LWA payments have been successfully processed on October 21st and disbursed for payment. It could take 1 to 3 business daysfrom this date to actually receive payments in your financial account or debit card due to processing times across financial intuitions,. As such, I expect payments should start appearing in accounts and cards from . This off course is for the first batch of payments. People who verified late or have had their account flagged may see payments a few days or weeks later.
Latest Update It appears that the majority of New Jerseyans are now seeing LWA payments in their bank accounts or debit cards. Check your pending transactions online as well, because that means your payment will be there shortly . If you havent got your payment yet, dont panic as they are still being processed in batches and could take till Monday or Tuesday to get to your account. Calling the NJ DOL/DUI is not going to help at this stage . See comments on this article for reader confirmations of the LWA payment across various banks.
Im Partially Employed Because Im A Student And Work Part Time Doing Ride
You may be eligible for PUA, depending on your personal circumstances. A gig economy worker, such as a driver for a ride-sharing service, is eligible for PUA provided that he or she is unemployed, partially employed, or unable or unavailable to work for one or more of the qualifying reasons provided for by the CARES Act. For example, a driver for a ride-sharing service may be forced to quit his or her job if he or she was diagnosed with COVID-19 by a qualified medical professional, and although the driver no longer has COVID-19, the illness caused health complications that render the driver objectively unable to perform his or her essential job functions, with or without a reasonable accommodation. Similarly, under an additional eligibility criterion established by the Secretary of Labor pursuant to 2102, a driver who receives an IRS Form 1099 from the ride-sharing service may qualify for PUA benefits if he or she has been forced to suspend operations as a direct result of the COVID-19 public health emergency, such as if an emergency state or municipal order restricting movement makes continued operations unsustainable. Relatedly, widespread social distancing undertaken in response to guidance from federal, state, or local governments may so severely reduce customer demand for a drivers services as to force him or her to suspend operations, and thus make the driver eligible for PUA.
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Extended Unemployment Benefits Will End For 20k Nj Workers
By: Sophie Nieto-Munoz– March 31, 2022 6:59 am
A federal program providing extended unemployment benefits was trigged in 2020 when the jobless rate skyrocketed.
Tens of thousands of people will lose their weekly unemployment benefits starting next week.
The Department of Labor announced the federal unemployment program known as Extended Benefits will end for about 20,000 New Jerseyans on April 9. The program provided up to 13 weeks of additional jobless benefits for people who exhausted their 26 weeks of regular benefits.
The federal program was triggered in July 2020 after jobless rates skyrocketed. The states unemployment rate, which reached a record 16.6% in April 2020, dropped in February to 4.6%, below the threshold required to continue to provide the extra benefits.
The declining unemployment rate is a great sign of our states economic recovery, Labor Commissioner Robert Asaro-Angelo said in a statement. Knowing the end of these benefits will impact thousands of New Jersey families, we remain committed to helping residents transition back into the workforce.
People with jobless claims may still see a balance left on their claim after the extended benefits expire, but federal rules bar them from claiming the money.
The state Department of Labor has disbursed $1.3 billion in extended benefit payments since the pandemic led to mass layoffs and monthslong business shutdowns.
by Sophie Nieto-Munoz, New Jersey MonitorMarch 31, 2022
New Jersey Unemployment Extension Extended Benefits
There is another type of unemployment extension called Federal-State Extended Duration , more commonly referred to as Extended Benefits . You will only qualify for the EB Extended Benefits unemployment extension if you have used up all of your regular unemployment benefits and also used up all of your EUC08 unemployment extension.
If you qualify for the EB Extended Benefits unemployment extension you will receive additional benefits equal to 20 weeks or 80% of the maximum benefit amount on the original unemployment claim, whichever amount is less.
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Biden Emergency Extension To Pandemic Unemployment Benefits
With the rapid spread of and potential economic slowdown from the virulent Delta COVID-19 strain there is now talk of the Biden administration repurposing some of existing ARPA stimulus bill funding to extend pandemic unemployment programs to the end of 2022.
This is similar to the six week LWA extension that President Trump passed by executive order last year when Congress could not initially agree on funding an extension to pandemic unemployment benefits.
If Congress cannot provide additional funding then this will be the most likely path for a short-term emergency extension of pandemic benefits and could be done relatively quickly along party lines, or simply by a Presidential Executive order. White House lawyers are likely already working on this as a possible option.
Note that states which had ceased participation early in the federally funded unemployment programs will need to reapply to get access to this short term extension, if indeed it is passed.
To Extend or Not?
Which States Ended Unemployment Benefits Early?
Following recent job reports that showed a shortage of workers to fill open positions, many Republican led states have now ended federally funded pandemic unemployment programs in order to incentivize workers to return to work. You can see the table below for when states ended one or more of the pandemic unemployment programs early.
| States Ending Unemployment Early |
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Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation
If you started receiving UI on or after July 1, 2019 and have collected benefits for 26 weeks, you are eligible for the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation 13-week extension.
You will need to apply for PEUC at the end of your initial 26 benefit weeks. To apply, visit does.dcnetworks.org/initialclaims and follow the prompts.
PEUC is available until December 26, 2020. You will receive the same weekly amount you received through your initial UI, unless your income has changed. Additional information from the Department of Employment Services on PEUC is here.
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One Of My Workers Quit Because He Said He Would Prefer To Receive The Unemployment Compensation Benefits Under The Cares Act Is He Eligible For Unemployment If Not What Can I Do
No, typically that employee would not be eligible for regular unemployment compensation or PUA. Eligibility for regular unemployment compensation varies by state but generally does not include those who voluntarily leave employment. Similarly, to receive PUA, an individual must be ineligible for regular unemployment compensation or extended benefits under state or federal law, or pandemic emergency unemployment compensation, and satisfy one of the eligibility criteria enumerated in the CARES Act, as explained in Unemployment Insurance Program Letter 16-20. There are multiple qualifying circumstances related to COVID-19 that can make an individual eligible for PUA, including if the individual quits his or her job as a direct result of COVID-19. Quitting to access unemployment benefits is not one of them. Individuals who quit their jobs to access higher benefits, and are untruthful in their UI application about their reason for quitting, will be considered to have committed fraud.
If desired, employers can contest unemployment insurance claims through their state unemployment insurance agencys process.
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Getting Extended Unemployment Benefits
In times of high unemployment, the state and sometimes the federal Department of Labor will extend federal unemployment benefits to New Jerseyans. For example, during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, the Trump administration enacted the Families First Coronavirus Response Act , which provided more flexibility to state UI agencies.
Additionally, it passed the CARES Act, expanding funds for most workers, including those not typically covered by UI such as the self-employed and independent contractors who received funds through the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation program.
On July 1, 2020, the Garden State’s high unemployment rate allowed the NJDLWD to extend benefits by 13 weeks to those who had exhausted them as long as they met the minimum earnings requirements and their initial claim was filed on May 12, 2019 or later. Federal UI payments expired on September 4, 2021, and the state’s program ended on April 9, 2022.
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Benefits Program Still Available
A claimant is able to receive benefits for weeks of unemployment ending before September 4, 2021. A person who is currently involved in an appeal or adjudication process, or who had an appointment scheduled for after September 4, 2021 should continue to certify weekly. They should follow instructions and monitor their email for changes regarding their unemployment benefits.
Claimants may file new unemployment claims if they lose their jobs in 2022. The new claims may or may not be related to concerns related to the coronavirus.
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After A Delayed Rollout Due To A Need To Program State Computers For The 11
It took until February but New Jersey Department of Labor finally completed programming for the 11-week benefits extension passed in late December. According to the agency the work got done ahead of schedule although officials were questioned why the state had a delay when New York and Connecticut had not.
The delay that left over 75,000 claimants without extended benefits was blamed on the last-minute federal action to continue benefits beyond the 26 December cutoff. States across the US experienced similar problems due to the bill passing so close to the benefits expiration and the subsequent hesitation to sign the legislation by former President Trump.
States were not given time to program systems for the 11-wk extension to all claimants without delay. The frustrations our workers are feeling are taking place all over the nation right now as a result of last-minute federal action.
NJ Labor Department
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Federal And State Extended Benefits
Federal benefits created during the pandemic including PUA, PEUC, and FPUC ended September 4. Any funds remaining in your unemployment account related to these federal programs will not be available for certification or payment for weeks of unemployment ending after September 4, 2021, per federal law.
Please note that you will be able to receive benefits for weeks of unemployment ending prior to September 4, per your weekly certification answers. If you are currently in an appeal or adjudication process, or have an appointment scheduled after September 4, please continue to certify weekly, follow instructions and monitor your email.
To learn more about available extensions of or additions to unemployment benefits, see the information below.
How many weeks of unemployment benefits can I currently receive?
Those who meet the requirements for traditional unemployment insurance may receive benefits for up to 26 weeks during a one-year period.
Additionally, from July 1, 2020 through April 9, 2022, New Jerseys high unemployment rate triggered state extended benefits for NJ workers who have exhausted unemployment benefits, if, among other requirements, they meet the minimum earnings requirement and the date of their initial UI claim is May 12, 2019 or later.
Per federal regulations, on April 17, 2021, NJ state extended unemployment benefits were reduced from up to 20 weeks to up to 13 weeks because New Jerseys unemployment rate went down.
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Benefit Year End Reviews
All unemployment claims are required to be reviewed after one year per law. Claimants approaching the end of their benefit year should take no additional action. If your UI claim has been open more than one year then you need to be aware of the following actions:
- DO NOT attempt to open a new claim.
- DO continue to certify for weekly benefits according to the schedule.
The review of your claim will occur automatically the NJ DOL will contact you only if more information is needed. If you recently reached the end of your benefit year, a review of your claim has been completed or is underway. When the review is complete, you will receive confirmation your weekly certification for benefits was successful.
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Maximum Weeks Payable For Extended Unemployment Benefits Raised From 13 To 20 Weeks
The New Jersey Department of Labor has just announced that unemployed workers in New Jersey will receive a new level of federally funded extended unemployment insurance benefits. This new level raises the maximum number of payable weeks on an extended benefit claim, from 13 to 20. The NJDOL announced that these additional extended benefits went into effect the week beginning May 3, 2009. The increase occurred because the states three-month average unemployment rate met or exceeded eight percent. These extended unemployment benefits will remain in effect in New Jersey for a minimum of 13 weeks, at which time the three-month average unemployment rate will be recalculated.
Extended benefits apply to eligible job seekers who have exhausted both their regular unemployment insurance benefits and any federal Emergency Unemployment Compensation. Individuals who have already begun collecting extended benefits will have their extended benefits claims increased to a maximum of 20 weeks or 80 percent of their initial claim . Claimants who exhausted their extended benefits during the week ending May 2, 2009 or earlier will have their extended benefits claims reactivated.
Note: This article was published in the of the New Jersey eAuthority.
Federal Enhanced Benefits Have Ended In New Jersey
The NJ DOL has confirmed that claimants on the PEUC, PUA, MEUC and FPUC programs will file/certify for benefits for the last time covering the week ending September 4, 2021.
Any active claims, with or without remaining balances, will expire after this date and any weeks after Sep 5th will NOT be paid. The only exception are retroactive payments for validated claims after a successful determination or appeal.
While there has been a lot of discussion around extending pandemic unemployment benefits, the Biden administration has confirmed that states will have to use already allocated stimulus funding to expand or extend traditional state unemployment programs.
The NJ DOL has not indicated that is planning to do so at this stage and Governor Murphy recent stated the following in recent remarks confirming this position:
Some claimants may be eligible for State Extended Benefits , but after September 4th all claimants must have a regular UI claim to continue receiving benefits.
$300 Weekly Payment Delay Updates and News
Every few weeks there have been reports of payment glitches/delays in claimants getting the $300 supplementary benefit, which is in addition to their regular or enhanced unemployment payments. This is generally due to the following reasons:
You can see recent examples and further feedback in the active comments forum below this article. I will post further updates as they come to light and you can stay connected via the options below.
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