When Will Pandemic Unemployment Start Again

Us Sets Coronavirus Record With Daily New Cases Pushing Past 100000

As the recession drags on, more people are exhausting their regular unemployment benefits, which typically last for 26 weeks. As of mid-October, nearly 4 million people had hit that limit and begun collecting benefits under a new federal program that provides an extra 13 weeks of aid. That program is set to expire at the end of the year.

Powell cautioned that the longer people are out of work, the more difficult it may be to find new jobs.

“The record is, if you don’t get back in fairly quickly, it can be harder to get back in,” Powell said. “That holds down the whole economy. And by the way, it also places enormous burdens on individuals.”

The American Rescue Plan And The Unemployment Insurance Program

The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 was signed into law on March 11, 2021. This legislation continues benefit programs that were established by the CARES Act and the Continued Assistance Act

The Virginia Employment Commission can provide details of this law and how it affects the various programs under the Unemployment Insurance umbrella.

Please Note:

• The VEC will automatically enroll you in the appropriate extension based on the program you are already under . However, if you are notified that your benefit year has ended you must file a new traditional claim to establish a new benefit year.
• You should continue to file your weekly claim for benefits as you normally would as long as you remain unemployed.
• You will not need to contact the VEC in order for these program extensions to take effect. The VEC will mail you a Monetary determination that reflects the increase in eligibility.

Benefit Program Information:

Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation This program is offered to individuals who have exhausted their regular state UI benefits. PEUC has now been extended through the week ending September 4, 2021. Entitlement was increased from 24 weeks to 53 weeks.

Pandemic Unemployment Assistance This program has now been extended through the week ending September 4, 2021. The maximum number of payable weeks under PUA are increased from 50 weeks to 79 weeks.

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Find Resources For Food Housing Health Assistance And More

There are still a few federal relief programs in place to aid those who are struggling, including;monthly advance child tax credit payments; increased Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, benefits; emergency rental relief; and the pause on federal student loan payments.

Eligibility requirements vary, especially by location, so not everyone will qualify for them.;

The grassroots advocacy organization ExtendPUA has a resource page for additional financial, career and mental health resources, which goes beyond government assistance and includes help for things like utilities, Wi-Fi, UI claims disputes and “lots of mutual aid,” says ExtendPUA Executive Director Stephanie Freed. “We shouldn’t be relying on mutual aid to make sure people are surviving in this country, but it exists and is there to help.”

She spent the last few weeks fielding desperate messages from families experiencing an immediate loss of income. “The message we’re telling everyone is: This is not right, and it’s not their fault. They’re not alone.”

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How Do I Apply For Peuc

Sign into your online account at des.nc.gov and click on the Apply for Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation link to apply. Federal guidelines require you to file a separate claim for PEUC to receive these benefits. You will not automatically receive PEUC when you exhaust regular state unemployment insurance benefits.

If you are not eligible for PEUC, you will not see the Apply for Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation link in your online account.

For help with applying for PEUC by phone, call the Customer Call Center at 888-737-0259.

Cutting Off Benefits Hasnt Fixed Perceived Labor Shortages

States that cut off benefits early have backed up their decisions with anecdotes of worker shortages to push people back to work.

But early cutoff data doesnt validate those claims. Analysis from workforce management firm UKG reported states that ended benefits in June saw half the shift growtha measure of the number of worker shifts completedin July versus states where the unemployment boost has continued.

Another report from payroll company Gusto found that employment growth was similar for states that retained the benefits versus cut them off.

The slower-than-anticipated job growth, especially in states that have ended benefits early, indicates a disconnect between the jobs available and what workers are looking for. Census Bureau data from early August showed that only 9% of unemployed individuals were in that situation because they didnt want to work.

The unemployment rate, which is known to undercount the number of jobless people, is still at 5.4% as of July.

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Unemployment Programs Under The Cares Act

FPUC was a flat amount given to people who received unemployment insurance, including those who got a partial unemployment benefit check. It applied to people who received benefits under PUA and PEUC. The original $600 amount was reduced to $300 per week after the program was first extended by the Consolidated Appropriations Act in December 2020. Like PUA, FPUC expired on Sept. 6, 2021.

Will Oklahoma Start Paying Pandemic

Following an Oklahoma County judge’s ruling,;will the state will;start paying out pandemic-era unemployment benefits again?

It’s too early to say for sure.

Unemployed Oklahomans are waiting for answers after an Oklahoma County judge ruled that several federal unemployment programs must be temporarily reinstated. Confusing the issue was a nearly simultaneous order by the Oklahoma Supreme Court that it should hear that case instead of the lower court.

The Oklahoma Employment Security Commission, a state agency that oversees unemployment applications and benefits, said Tuesday that it was complying with the lower court judge’s ruling.

“Considering the ;ruling, we have notified the U.S. Department of Labor and had preliminary discussions about steps involved for reinstatement of federal programs,” said OESC Executive Director Shelley Zumwalt. “Following rulings resulting from the hearings at the Oklahoma Supreme Court this week, OESC will work with all relevant state and federal partners on any relevant next steps to move forward.”

The rulings placed the state in a kind of legal limbo. In a court filing, OESC said it’s stuck; “forced to simultaneously appeal to this court to preserve the status quo while being under court order to change the status quo ‘immediately.'”;

Dig deeper: What we know about the Oklahoma unemployment lawsuit and if federal benefits will be reinstated

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Will I Need To Submit With My Pua Application Any Documents To Prove Income

No, you do not need to submit any documents to the EDD with your PUA application. You will enter your total income for the 2019 Calendar Year on the application. Initially, this will be used to pay the minimum benefits of $167 per week. If the income information you provide indicates that you meet an annual earnings threshold of $17,368 or more, the EDD will work as quickly as possible to verify your income using other resources available to the Department in order to increase your PUA weekly benefit amount. If additional information is needed, the EDD will contact you.

Federal Benefit Programs Ending In September

Three federal benefit programs will end on September 4, 2021:

• Pandemic Unemployment Assistance ;
• Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation ;
• $300 per week supplemental payments under the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program

No payments can made under these programs for the week beginning September 5, 2021, or any week afterward.

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I Was Serving Penalty Weeks But I Have Now Served All My Penalty Weeks And Am Currently Receiving Ui Benefits Can I Receive Pua Benefits For The Time Period When I Was Ineligible For Ui Because I Was Serving Penalty Weeks

Yes, if you completed serving a false statement penalty disqualification on your regular UI claim during the time period from , you are potentially eligible to receive a retroactive payment of benefits under the PUA program. You may receive PUA benefits dating back to the weeks after February 2, 2020 when you were serving your regular UI penalty weeks, as long as you were unemployed, partially unemployed, unable to work, or unavailable to work due to a COVID-19 related reason during that time period. If you have an outstanding overpayment on a prior Disaster Unemployment Assistance claim, your PUA retroactive payment amount will be reduced by 50 percent as necessary to repay the DUA overpayment.

The EDD will mail you a PUA Retroactive Payment Option and Self-Certification form describing how to receive a retroactive PUA payment for the weeks when you served your UI penalty between February 2 to May 13. Any full weeks of penalty service will remain credited to you on your UI claim. In order to receive the retroactive PUA payment, you must return the PUA Retroactive Payment Option and Self-Certification form to the EDD, attesting that you were unemployed due to a COVID-19 reason. Other than this retroactive PUA payment, you will continue to receive benefits on your regular UI claim.

What If I Do Not Have Any 2019 Income Documents

If you received an email to submit income documents through UI OnlineSM, and you do not have any, select No to the question, Do You Have Documents to Upload?

If you received a notice in the mail, write No income documents for 2019 above the signature line before you sign, date, and mail the form back to us.

Once we receive your response, we will review your claim and make a decision about your benefit amount. If there are any changes to your existing PUA weekly benefit amount, we will send you more information.

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Is It Too Late To Apply For Unemployment Insurance

If you’ve been laid off or furloughed, you can apply for unemployment benefits in your state. Once the state approves your claim, you can apply to receive whatever state benefits you’re entitled to. Because states cover 30% to 50% of a person’s wages, there isn’t a single sum you could expect on a national basis. Each state’s;unemployment insurance office;provides information to file a claim with the program in the state where you worked. Some claims may be filed in person, by phone or online, so it’s best to contact your state’s office directly.

Eligibility criteria vary from state to state, but the general rule is that you should;apply;if you’ve lost your job or been laid off through no fault of your own, including if it was due directly or indirectly to the pandemic. You can check on your state’s requirements here. In February, the;Department of Labor;updated its unemployment eligibility requirements to include people who refused to return to work due to unsafe coronavirus standards.

As for self-employed workers and freelancers who are losing PUA coverage, some;online groups;are calling to extend pandemic unemployment programs through the crisis and offer more information.;

You might also want to know about the IRS issuing refunds to those who were;taxed on their 2020 unemployment benefits. And here’s an important primer on the 2021 enhanced;child tax credit, which is offering millions of families extra money in advance of next year’s taxes.

Changes From 7 September 2021

If your PUP rate is300 a week, your payment will reduce to 250 aweek. You will see the change on 14 September 2021.

If your PUP rate is 250 a week, your rate of PUP will reduce to 203 aweek. You will see the change on 14 September 2021.

If you are getting 203 per week, you will continue to get PUP until 26October 2021, if you have not returned to work before this date. From 26October, you will move to a jobseekers payment, if eligible.

You can get detailed information from gov.ie on whathappens when your payment reduces and what your options are.

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Judge: Federal Pandemic Unemployment Benefits Must Continue In Indiana

• Indianapolis Star

A Marion County judge has temporarily halted Gov. Eric Holcombs order to stop providing federal pandemic unemployment benefits, meaning those benefits will continue to;flow to out-of-work Hoosiers for the time being.;;

Judge John Hanley issued the order Friday, less than two weeks after the faith group Concerned Clergy of Indianapolis and four individuals filed a lawsuit challenging Holcombs;decision to end the benefits;early.;The judge’s order lasts until the lawsuit, which also targets Indiana Department of Workforce Development Commissioner Frederick Payne,;makes its way through the court system and reaches a final order.

Holcomb’s office told IndyStar it would be working with the Indiana Attorney General’s Office and the Department of Workforce Development to appeal the order. “The state of Indiana took the appropriate steps to terminate its participation in ;federal pandemic unemployment program,” a spokesperson for the governor said.;

More: Indiana Gov. Holcomb cut off federal unemployment benefits. Why are some people suing?

The unemployment benefits were initiated as part of the CARES Act, a federal stimulus package created by Congress that was meant to give the American economy a financial lifeline as it weathered the COVID-19 pandemic. The benefits;were authorized to;continue until Sept. 9.;

Video: Indiana gov. faces lawsuit for extended unemployment benefits

More: Indiana throws the book at Hoosiers who make unemployment errors

Pup And Travel Abroad

If you are getting PUP, you must notify the Department of Social Protectionbefore going abroad. You can contact the Income Support Helpline on 0818 800024 and a note can be made on your PUP claim. If you are abroad for more than 2weeks, you will not continue to be eligible for PUP unless the extended absencehas been approved.

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Apply For Pandemic Unemployment Assistance

If you are denied regular benefits, you may be eligible for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance . You should receive an alert in your account about applying for this program. If you do not receive an alert about applying for PUA and you receive an alert to apply for Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation , you will need to complete the PEUC application before you can apply for PUA.

Key information:

• If your application is approved, your weekly benefit amount will be based on your normal income, up to a maximum of $790.
• You will be asked to upload documents such as your federal tax return as proof of income, which could increase your weekly benefit amount above the minimum of $235. The last day you can submit these documents is either Sept. 6, 2021, or 21 days after you applied for PUA, whichever is later.
• You also will be asked to answer questions that verify your work history. You will have 21 days from the date of the letter to submit your answers.

I Am Unable To Receive Regular State Unemployment Insurance Benefits Because I Had To Serve Penalty Weeks Or Was Found Ineligible Is There Any Other Financial Assistance That I Can Receive

You may be eligible to receive federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance benefits. The PUA program helps individuals who are not eligible for regular state UI benefits and who are unemployed, partially unemployed, unable to work, or unavailable to work as a direct result of a COVID-19 related reason. This includes individuals who cannot collect regular UI benefits because they are serving penalty weeks or were found ineligible for benefits due to certain legal reasons.

For example, you may be eligible for PUA benefits if your unemployment is directly related to COVID-19, and you are ineligible for traditional UI benefits because you are serving penalty weeks or because you quit or were fired from a previous job.

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Federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Programs Have Ended

• The Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program for those who traditionally did not qualify for regular state benefits, such as self-employed and independent contractors, or exhausted all other benefits
• Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation Program that extended regular state benefits
• Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation Program;, which provided an additional $300 weekly benefit payment.

PUA benefits were available for those claimants who:

• Lost their jobs or self-employment because of the COVID-19 pandemic
• Did not earn enough wages in the 18 months before they applied for benefits to qualify for a regular unemployment benefits claim
• Exhausted their regular unemployment, Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation;PEUC;and State Extended Benefits; or did not qualify for these claims

Project Abruptly Halted Under Brownback Administration

The Brownback administration opted in 2011;to bring in a new contractor, IT21, amid concerns from top KDOL officials that the project still wasn’t on the right track.

The no-bid deal with IT21 was signed in early March, with a goal of saving almost $850,000 by the end of May; less than two months away.

The move was justified, the agency’s chief council Karl Hansen wrote in a memo, due to “numerous critical process and programming errors,” as he argued the project was still “floundering.”

“The debacle created by these two projects has negatively impacted Kansas workers as workers have been delayed in filing claims and receiving benefits a situation that if left unchecked, could jeopardize the federal funding upon which the program relies, as well as invoking legal issues that may bring forth both federal and private actions against the state,” Hansen wrote;to the state’s director of procurement, Chris Howe.;”Therefore, the situation must be addressed and resolved immediately.”

But a regular summary of state information technology projects published in February gave the project good marks, noting major updates were;due to go live in a matter of months.

It also didn’t raise any concerns that the project was over budget, a common complaint cited by the Brownback administration. In fact, documents show it was ahead of expectations when it came to spending.

More:Topeka restaurants are struggling to staff shifts. The reason isn’t as simple as extended unemployment benefits.

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