Federal benefits extended

SANDUSKY — People who collect unemployment benefits will soon receive an additional $300 per week. The funds come from the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021. It extends and amends the pandemic unemployment benefits, and programs in place because of COVID-19, to March 13. Additionally, the act will allow Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) claimants to resume weekly filing claims for benefits. The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services announced it would expedite payments after receiving the federal government's guidance. "We are committed to making the updates as quickly as we can so that we can bring much-needed relief to eligible claimants," department director Kimberly Henderson said. "We will need system programming for this effort, and we appreciate everyone's patience as that occurs. Ohio stands ready to assist those in need as soon as possible, within the bounds of the new law. Those eligible will receive all benefits to which they are entitled." People whose Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act benefits expired in December can file retroactively to the week of Dec. 27. The department will recalculate Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) claims and notify claimants when they can certify for their next benefit payment. The department expects programs that the act extended without changing — SharedWork Ohio, funding for the first week of benefits and continued PEUC and PUA claims — will be implemented without delay. Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) This program supports business owners, the self-employed, independent contractors and others who don't qualify for traditional unemployment benefits. The extension: • Will provide up to 11 additional weeks of benefits. But a person may not have more than 50 total weeks when including the previous round. • Will require a weekly certification specifying a specific "COVID-19 CARES Act reason," beginning on Jan. 26. • Will require individuals to substantiate employment or self-employment in the most recent tax year, beginning on Jan. 31. • Will require identity verification at the outset of a claim, beginning on Jan. 26. • Will impose new limitations on backdating claims. • Impose an application deadline of March 13. Individuals who are eligible for PUA benefits on the week ending March 13 and who have remaining weeks to claim will be able to continue to file through April 10. • Will provide states with new authority to waive PUA and Lost Wages Assistance overpayments under certain conditions. • Requires PUA appeals to be conducted in the same manner and extent as traditional unemployment appeals. Implementation: People can file claims for weeks before Dec. 27. But new applications for weekly benefits cannot be accepted at this time. Ohio Department of Job and Family Services expects to have the system back up and running by the third week in January for those who previously were approved to receive up to 39 weeks of these benefits, so they can again file weekly claims. The department needs new programming before it can accept new requests. All claimants will receive all eligible benefits. Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) • Once implemented, the extension will provide up to an additional 11 weeks of benefits, with up to a maximum of up to 24 weeks allowed, for eligible individuals who exhaust their traditional unemployment benefits. • Application deadline ends March 13. Individuals who are eligible for benefits on the week ending March 13 and who have remaining weeks to claim will be able to continue to file through April 10. • The extension will provide states the option to allow individuals to continue receiving even if they qualify for traditional unemployment in a subsequent benefit year if certain other conditions are met. This includes if their standard unemployment weekly benefit amount would be at least $25 lower than the PEUC amount. Implementation: New applications can be filed. Individuals with remaining weeks to claim out of the original 13 weeks can continue to claim benefits for those weeks and be paid. The additional 11 weeks, however, will require system programming. Individuals may file claims for those weeks, but the system cannot yet pay them. Once the programming is complete, individuals will receive all eligible payments. Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) • Once implemented, it will provide up to 11 weeks of an additional $300 weekly benefit to eligible claimants in multiple programs. • Will be available for weeks of unemployment between Dec. 27, 2020, and the week ending March 13, 2021. • Implementation Update: ODJFS expects to issue FPUC payments by the third week in January. All claimants will receive all eligible benefits. Employer Benefits • Extends full federal funding for Ohio's SharedWork program. • Extends 50% credits to reimbursing employers for standard unemployment benefit charges. • Extends federal payment of the first week of conventional unemployment benefits, at 50% instead of 100%. • Requires claimants to be notified about state return-to-work requirements. • Extends the waiver of interest to states whose Unemployment Insurance Trust Funds require federal borrowing. The legislation also created a new program: Mixed Earner Unemployment Compensation • For individuals who are eligible for traditional unemployment benefits who also have earned wages in self-employment. • Once implemented, it will provide an additional $100 a week, on top of the $300 FPUC benefit.