On Monday President Trump signed the latest COVID-19 relief package passed by Congress. Below are a list of unemployment extensions and provisions included in the bill. We are aware that in many ways, this may raise more questions than it answers, but we’re doing our best to find the information folks need to make decisions and will push information out as we get it.
We are hoping to be briefed soon with further details by the Illinois Department of Employment Security to discuss what implementation of these provisions and extensions look like. The updates below were provided by Congresswoman Schakowsky's office and we will be providing further updates to frequently asked questions as soon as we are briefed.
Extension and Benefit Phaseout Rule for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance.
- Extends Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) to March 14, 2021 and allows individuals receiving benefits as of March 14, 2021 to continue through April 5, 2021, as long as the individual has not reached the maximum number of weeks.
- Increases the number of weeks of benefits an individual may claim from 39 to 50.
- Provides for appeals to be at the state level.
- Provides states authority to waive overpayments made without fault on the part of the individual or when such repayment would violate equity and good conscience.
- Provides a transition rule for certain individuals transitioning between PUA and the Pandemic
Emergency Unemployment Compensation program.
- Limits payment of retroactive PUA benefits to weeks of unemployment after December 1, 2020.
Section 202. Extension of Emergency Unemployment Relief for Governmental Entities and Nonprofit Organizations.
- Extends through March 14, 2021 a provision in the CARES Act which amended the Families First Coronavirus Response Act to provide federal support to cover 50% of the costs of unemployment benefits for employees of state and local governments and non-profit organizations.
Section 203. Extension of Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation.
- Restores the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) supplement to all state and federal unemployment benefits at $300 per week, starting after December 26 and ending March 14, 2021.
Section 204. Extension of Federal Funding of the First Week of Compensable Regular Unemployment for States with No Waiting Week (Illinois is one of these states).
- Extends through March 14, 2021 the CARES Act provision which reimbursed states for the cost of waiving the “waiting week” for regular unemployment compensation. Sets the reimbursement percentage for weeks ending after December 26, 2020 at 50 percent.
Section 205. Extension of Emergency State Staffing Flexibility.
- Extends through March 14, 2021 the CARES Act provision which gave state unemployment offices temporary, emergency authority to use “non-merit” staff.
Section 206. Extension and Benefit Phaseout Rule for Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation.
- Extends Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) to March 14, 2021 and allows individuals receiving benefits as of March 14, 2021 to continue through April 5, 2021, as long as the individual has not reached the maximum number of weeks.
- Increases the number of weeks of benefits an individual may claim through the PEUC program from 13 to 24.
- Provides rules for states about sequencing these benefits with other unemployment benefits.
