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The Department of Labor has broadened the eligibility for the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program, allowing those already receiving unemployment to maintain their benefits if they refuse job offers due to concerns about COVID safety. These changes are retroactive, so you might receive a substantial lump sum in late March. Here’s the essential information you need to know.
Eligibility Expansion
The Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program, established under the CARES Act, temporarily extends unemployment insurance eligibility to self-employed individuals, freelancers, independent contractors, and part-time workers affected by the pandemic. To qualify, you must affirm under penalty of perjury that you’re available for work and that your unemployment is a result of a COVID-related circumstance.
Following President Biden’s directive last month, the Department of Labor has clarified and broadened the eligibility for PUA benefits under the following circumstances:
Workers who are currently receiving unemployment benefits but refuse job offers due to concerns about local or state COVID safety protocols, including social distancing, mask requirements, or personal protective equipment.
Workers who were laid off or had their hours reduced because their employer shut down or partially closed due to COVID.
School employees without a contract who are uncertain of their pay when schools close due to the pandemic.
The benefits will be applied retroactively, as though they were included from the start of the PUA program. However, individuals filing their first PUA claim after Dec. 27, 2020, will only be eligible for unemployment weeks starting on or after Dec. 6, 2020.
Given that those receiving unemployment benefits get an additional $300 weekly federal boost on top of their average state benefits of about $320 a week, the retroactive payments could lead to a significant lump sum by the end of March (the Department of Labor notes that state agencies will need a few weeks to implement these changes). For first-time applicants, the first payment could cover up to four months of benefits.
“Until now, many workers have been forced into a difficult choice, risk contracting the virus, or prioritize some level of safety while being without income support,” says Suzi Levine, principal deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for Employment and Training, in an interview with Reuters.
How to Submit an Application
To apply, you must file a claim with the unemployment insurance program in the state where you were employed (you can search by state here). Depending on the state, you may file your claim in person, over the phone, or online.
