Expanded Unemployment: Tips for HVRP Grantees During COVID-19

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act of 2020 created three different programs that expand unemployment eligibility and may impact grantees and veterans. Below is a short description of each program, eligibility, other factors, and the timeframe.

• The Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation Program (PEUC) is a temporary program that provides up to 13 additional weeks of benefits for ndividuals who have exhausted regular unemployment compensation (UC) and are not eligible for regular federal or state unemployment. These individuals must be able to work, available to work, and actively seeking work. There is flexibility in meeting “actively seeking work” if individuals are unable to do so due to COVID-19. These benefits can be combined with FPUC through July 31. Extended Benefits are must be deferred until after PEUC. Not eligible for PUA. The timeframe for eligibility is the week ending 4/4/20 and the last week must end before 12/31/20.

• The Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) is a temporary program that provides up to 39 weeks of unemployment benefits for those not eligible for traditional unemployment. Individuals covered by this program include those not eligible for regular unemployment, extended benefits or PEUC such as self-employed, those seeking part-time employment, individuals lacking sufficient work history. These individuals must be able and available to work but are unemployed, partially unemployed, or unable or unavailable to work due to one of the COVID-19 related reasons. The benefits of this program can be combined with the FPUC. The timeframe for eligibility includes the weeks beginning on or after 1/27/20 and the last week must end before 12/31/20.

Two COVID-related reasons especially relevant to HVRP are 1) Scheduled to start employment and does not have a job or is unable to reach the job as a direct result of the COVID-19 public health emergency, including travel restrictions, employer closures, and rescinding of job offers, and 2) the criteria set by the Secretary extends PUA to independent contractors, gig workers, etc.

• The Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) is temporary program that provides an emergency increase of $600 per week in unemployment compensation. Individuals collecting regular unemployment compensation, PEUC, PUA, and other types of unemployment compensations are eligible and it can be combined with other unemployment benefits. The timeframe of eligibility begins the week ending 4/4/20 and the last week must end by 7/31/20.

For official guidance from the Department of Labor, please read the following:

LATEST GUIDANCE REGARDING PANDEMIC EMERGENCY UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION PROGRAM
GUIDANCE ON PANDEMIC UNEMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE
GUIDANCE ON FEDERAL PANDEMIC UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION

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