Other reasons PUA claims are being denied are due to ongoing “ glitches” in unemployment filing systems/websites that have required a lot more updates to support the new PUA provisions. Fraud checks or additional document verification where many UI applications are being flagged has also been cited as a big reason for PUA delays/rejections.
Full Answer
Why have my Pua payments been stopped?
PUA Payments Will STOP if You Are or Were Eligible for PEUC One reason why some unemployment claimants are seeing their payments stop is because Claimants currently receiving PUA benefits who previously exhausted PEUC benefits may only collect PUA if they have exhausted any entitlement to PEUC.
What happens to my Pua benefits after the bye date?
The way BYE is handed in many state varies and in some PUA claimants do not have to worry about filing a new claim after the BYE date. However in some claimants are being required to file a new claim and as a result are seeing a lapse in benefits.
What do I do if I was overpaid Pua benefits?
The Department of Unemployment Assistance (DUA) is required to identify and recover CARES Act benefits that were overpaid. Learn what to do if you are notified you were overpaid PUA benefits. DUA will be changing its debit card provider in 2022.
When will I receive my backdated Pua and fpuc payments?
This includes backdated payments for weeks you were eligible. In most states backdated PUA and FPUC payments will be paid in one lump-sum one to two weeks after you receive your first payment of eligible state UI benefits.
What is the maximum Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation benefits (PEUC) eligibility in weeks?
No PEUC is payable for any week of unemployment beginning after April 5, 2021. In addition, the length of time an eligible individual can receive PEUC has been extended from 13 weeks to 24 weeks.
Are individuals eligible for PUA if they quit their job because of the COVID-19 pandemic?
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.
Are self-employed, independent contractor and gig workers eligible for the new COVID-19 unemployment benefits?
See full answerSelf-employed workers, independent contractors, gig economy workers, and people who have not worked long enough to qualify for the other types of unemployment assistance may still qualify for PUA if they are otherwise able to work and available for work within the meaning of the applicable state law and certify that they are unemployed, partially unemployed or unable or unavailable to work for one of the following COVID-19 reasons:You have been diagnosed with COVID-19, or have symptoms, and are seeking a medical diagnosis.A member of your household has been diagnosed with COVID-19.You are caring for a family member of a member of your household who has been diagnosed with COVID-19.A child or other person in your household for whom you have primary caregiving responsibility is unable to attend school or another facility that is closed as a direct result of COVID-19 and the school or facility care is required for you to work.
Can I remain on unemployment if my employer has reopened?
No. As a general matter, individuals receiving regular unemployment compensation must act upon any referral to suitable employment and must accept any offer of suitable employment. Barring unusual circumstances, a request that a furloughed employee return to his or her job very likely constitutes an offer of suitable employment that the employee must accept.
What if an employee refuses to come to work for fear of infection?
Your policies, that have been clearly communicated, should address this.Educating your workforce is a critical part of your responsibility.Local and state regulations may address what you have to do and you should align with them.
What is the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation Program for COVID-19?
See full answerTo 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 (WBA) provided under a state's unemployment insurance laws.
Who is considered to be essential worker during the COVID-19 pandemic?
Essential (critical infrastructure) workers include health care personnel and employees in other essential workplaces (e.g., first responders and grocery store workers).
Can I get unemployment assistance if I am partially employed under the CARES Act?
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.
Can COVID-19 be spread through sex?
The virus spreads by respiratory droplets released when someone with the virus coughs, sneezes or talks. These droplets can be inhaled or land in the mouth or nose of a person nearby. Coming into contact with a person's spit through kissing or other sexual activities could expose you to the virus.
Is there additional relief available if my regular unemployment compensation benefits do not provide adequate support?
See full answerThe new law creates the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program (FPUC), which provides an additional $600 per week to individuals who are collecting regular UC (including Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) and Unemployment Compensation for Ex-Servicemembers (UCX), PEUC, PUA, Extended Benefits (EB), Short Time Compensation (STC), Trade Readjustment Allowances (TRA), Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA), and payments under the Self Employment Assistance (SEA) program). This benefit is available for weeks of unemployment beginning after the date on which your state entered into an agreement with the U.S. Department of Labor and ending with weeks of unemployment ending on or before July 31, 2020.
Can an employee's temperature be taken by the employer when they report for work?
Businesses should follow CDC and FDA guidance for screening employees who have been exposed to COVID-19.Pre-screen employees for symptoms or fever before starting work.Employees with fever and symptoms should be advised to see a doctor for evaluation and should be deferred to Human Resources for next steps.
Is it mandatory to get a COVID-19 vaccine in the workplace?
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing Emergency Temporary Standard applies to all employers with 100+ employees and requires all employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or be tested on a weekly basis and to have a negative test before coming to work.
When will I get my PUA unemployment benefit and any back dated payments (including the $300 weekly FPUC)?
Given the unprecedented spike in unemployment it is/was taking several weeks in most states to process PUA UI claims. In some states like California and Florida it is taking up to 6 weeks to process PUA unemployment claims due to the massive spike in applications. This does not include claims where additional verification or issues are found, which can add several more weeks. However once the claim is approved, claimants should get their regular payment within a week and any retroactive /lump sum payments 5 to 7 days after that (assuming they are eligible). This includes back dated PUA and the weekly FPUC payment.
How long does it take to get PUA benefits backdated?
It may take two to three weeks to receive these back dated payments.
Why did unemployment stop?
One reason why some unemployment claimants are seeing their payments stop is because Claimants currently receiving PUA benefits who previously exhausted PEUC benefits may only collect PUA if they have exhausted any entitlement to PEUC. Because the Continued Assistance Act also increased the maximum amount of benefits available under the PEUC program, claimants actively filing for PUA with a previous PEUC claim are no longer eligible to receive PUA.
How long is the PUA program?
This now means that the PUA program would provide a total of at least 75 weeks of coverage for eligible claimants.
What happens if my UI debit card expires?
Your debit card has expired (most have a three year validity term), which means you will need to request a replacement card from your state UI agency. This may require a small payment. Also note if your continuing claim was denied you may not be able to request a new debit card.
What happens if you forget to certify for a week?
So if you forgot to certify or had issues with your certification for a given week, your UI payment could be delayed.
When will the CAA extension end?
The additional funding extensions however only covers retroactive payments form the start of the extension period. This would be the week ending January 2nd, 2021 under the CAA extension and March 20th, 2021 under the ARPA extension. So those who missed weeks or exhausted their balances prior to the extensions and claimed them under a subsequent extension period would not get retroactive payments for weeks prior to the start of the extension period.
How to qualify for PUA benefits?
In order to qualify for PUA benefits, you must have been working prior to the pandemic, either in employment, as a self-employed individual, or as an independent contractor or freelancer. The PUA application asked you to certify this information on your application, but the government is further investigating whether you had been attached to the labor force before COVID-19 affected work in Pennsylvania. You may have received a questionnaire in your message center that the government wants you to fill out and upload to your portal.
How do I appeal my PUA determination?
Watch this video on how to appeal a PUA determination through the PUA portal.
How do I know I was disqualified?
If you have been disqualified from benefits, your message center will have a message with a determination attached as a PDF. These determinations, called “Pandemic Unemployment Disqualification Determination” may refer to one of the reasons below.
How to get a continuance for unemployment?
You have a right to a representative in Unemployment Compensation Hearings. If you have a hearing scheduled and would like representation or advice for the hearing, you can request a continuance of the hearing so that you can find legal representation. You can email or fax a request for a continuance to the Referee office (fax number and email address should be on the Notice of Hearing you received). You can call the phone number on your Notice of Hearing with questions. The Referee office strongly prefers that you ask for a continuance more than 48 hours in advance – however, if you want a representative it is okay to ask for a continuance at any time, even during the hearing.
What happens if you are denied employment?
If you are denied because the government says you did not have an attachment to the labor market and you disagree, you should appeal. Even if you do not have documentation, you will have the opportunity to testify under oath about your work.
What happens when you appeal a notice of determination?
When you appeal a Notice of Determination, or if your employer appeals a Notice of Determination, you will be scheduled for a Referee Hearing. The Referee hearing works like a mini-trial. Both you and your employer will have an opportunity to testify and present evidence. You should bring all relevant documentation (ex: termination letters, doctors notes, communications with supervisors) with you to the hearing.
When will the PUA expire?
With the expiry of federal enhanced unemployment benefit programs like PUA, PEUC, $300 FPUC and $100 MEUC after September 6th 2021 in all states, there have been a lot of questions around what happens with ongoing, new and past payments.
How long does it take to get back PUA?
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 state’s 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.
How Far Back Can I Claim the Retroactive Unemployment Benefits?
This means that back payments for the new $300 FPUC are not payable retroactively for any week prior to December 27th, 2020 (under CAA) or March 14th (under Biden ARP extension), even if you were getting PUA and PEUC for the last several months.
Will I get Back Payments Automatically Applied or Manual Claim/Actions Required?
Once states are able to update their IT systems to pay the extended PEUC and PUA benefits (see this video for a discussion of the PUA mess and PEUC rollout challenges) they are automatically adding the extra weeks to eligible claimant accounts. One the claimant claims or certifies for the relevant weeks they should get payment for current and past eligible weeks.
What is the extra 600 unemployment?
All states and territories have now updated their unemployment systems to account for the extra $600 Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation ( FPUC) payment to those eligible for regular unemployment insurance (UI). While the roll-out and payment of these benefits has been plagued by challenges with some states struggling a lot more than others, millions of Americans have now received their entire extra/stimulus unemployment benefits. As a reminder, the additional $600 weekly payment, including retroactive benefits should occur automatically (unless specified by state unemployment site) for anybody eligible for any amount of state unemployment benefits — even as little as $1. The payments, including retroactive or backdated payments for eligible weeks a claimant has certified, will continue through the end of year, even the program ended for new claimants at the end of July.
Do you have to certify for PUA and PEUC?
So if you are still getting at least $100 of benefits under current and enhanced benefit programs ( like PUA and PEUC) then you should continue to certify on weekly or bi-weekly basis to receive current and retroactive $300 weekly payments. Both the payments are being administered and paid by state unemployment agencies. So you would need to contact them if you are having issues with these payments. See below and comments section for helpful tips.
Does unemployment pay back pay?
Retroactive benefits (or back pay) is legally required to be made by state unemployment departments for all eligible weeks under the PUA and PEUC programs. Weeks where claimants got at least $1 of unemployment would also qualify them for the extra $300 FPUC program payment.
Why Haven’t I Received My Unemployment Benefits?
With no help in sight, people like Harris are turning to elected officials, lawyers, and even social media for help. Harris is part of the Unofficial California Unemployment Help Facebook group, which has drawn more than 56,000 members since it was started in March.
Who recommends connecting with other people who have already received unemployment benefits?
Stettner recommends connecting with other people who have already received unemployment benefits, and are familiar with the process.
Why did Jasmine Harris lose her job?
Jasmine Harris lost her job at an L.A.-based production company in late March due to the statewide shutdown. It took nearly six months to receive meaningful unemployment benefits—and she’s still waiting for her full pay. Unfortunately, Harris’ story isn’t unique. More than 57 million people have filed for unemployment benefits since March, ...
How much did Jasmine Harris get back?
As a last ditch effort, Harris reached out to her state senator’s office, and says she was told they would send an inquiry on her behalf. About two weeks later, in late September, Harris received back pay totaling $10,000.
What to do if you are having trouble getting unemployment?
If you’re having trouble getting unemployment benefits, contact your state senator, representative, or even governor. They could help move things along.
Who handles unemployment benefits?
Unemployment benefits are handled by the state , so contacting your state-level elected officials can help get the ball rolling. They can sometimes get an answer faster than the unemployment office itself, Stettner says. They are doing case work on behalf of their constituents, but they’re also overwhelmed, he says. He even recommends reaching out to your state governor’s office.
Does Washington state have free legal advice for unemployment?
For example, the Unemployment Law Project provides free legal advice and representation for unemployment cases in Washington state. But these organizations are so overwhelmed they are likely only able to help a small fraction of people in need. It’s really tricky to provide a large number of people with good unemployment advice, Kalish says.
Why was my unemployment denied?
There’s a chance your unemployment application was denied and you weren’t alerted. Maybe there’s a glitch in the system, and the status of your claim hasn’t yet been updated. Or you had to reopen your claim due to a secondary layoff. Many applicants have reported that they were unable to verify their identity, resulting in a denial.
Can you apply for PUA retroactively?
Be mindful that some states haven’t yet set up their PUA programs, and you will have to wait to apply for benefits. The good news is you will be eligible for retroactive pay, despite the delays, as it was written into the federal law.
Does unemployment have a backlog?
Your state has a backlog of claims. A historically higher number of Americans have filed for unemployment since the COVID-19 crisis began. Consequently, many states have a backlog of claims and are scrambling to process applications and distribute benefits to those who qualify.
