June 27th, 2021 – 1:55 AM
Georgia Department of Labor –
The State of Georgia has ended the participation in the federal unemployment insurance (UI) programs enacted through the CARES Act and the American Rescue Plan Act and reinstate many of the eligibility requirements waived during the recent pandemic. The last payable week for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC), Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC), and Mixed Earner Unemployment Compensation (MEUC) was on June 26th, 2021, reinstating additional requirements on June 27 for claimants and employers.
Currently, over 74,000 claimants are receiving benefits through the PUA program designed for self-employed, gig workers, and part-time workers who have been unable to work as a direct result of COVID-19. Almost 93,000 claimants are receiving extended UI benefits through the PEUC program. Payments for both of these programs ended with the week ending June 26th, 2021. Over 56,000 claimants are currently receiving regular UI payments, but after this week will no longer receive the additional $300 FPUC weekly supplement. All eligible payments under any of these federal programs for week-ending dates on or before June 26, 2021, will continue to be processed and issued to qualified individuals.
“We saw the number of claims filed this week drop by almost 2,000 and anticipate this number to continue to fall as Georgians return to the workforce,” said Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler. “After sixty-six weeks of benefits during the pandemic and the release of over $22.5 billion, we look forward to refocusing our organization on reemployment and helping claimants find a career path that will provide the stability and support necessary to provide for their families.”
Starting June 27, 2021, claimants receiving regular state UI benefits will be required to be able to work, available to work, and actively seeking work for each week benefit payments are requested. Individuals requesting unemployment benefits must register for employment services in their state of residence to avoid interruption, delay, or denial of benefits if found to be eligible. Individuals who reside in the state of Georgia must register with EmployGeorgia, the state’s reemployment website, and include his/her social security number during registration. Individuals will be asked to create a resume or upload a searchable resume to the site and submit three work search contacts for each week payments are requested.
The previously adjusted earning disregard rule that allowed earnings up to $300 per week to be disregarded when calculating weekly benefits will be reduced to $150 per week. This means reported earnings of more than $150 will be deducted dollar for dollar from the weekly entitlement amount.
For more information about these requirements and how to meet them, claimants can reference the Unemployment Insurance Claimant Handbook online at dol.georgia.gov.