September 11, 2020

Individuals Exhausting Benefits Can Apply for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance

LINCOLN – The Nebraska Department of Labor announced today that the state’s Extended Benefits (EB) program will end with the benefit week ending Saturday, September 12. No new applications for EB will be accepted after the 12th, but individuals already claiming benefits under the program will continue to receive the remainder of their Extended Benefit payments provided they meet eligibility requirements and file weekly claims.

“A small percentage of individuals claiming benefits fall under the EB program because eligibility requires exhaustion of both regular unemployment benefits and Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC),” said Commissioner of Labor John H. Albin.  “Going forward those who exhaust their PEUC benefits can file a new claim to apply for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA).”

Per state statute, availability of the Extended Benefits program is based on each state’s insured unemployment rate. Nebraska’s EB program triggered on beginning the week of June 14.  Of the 131,630 individuals who have received Nebraska unemployment benefits during the pandemic, 155 individuals have received EB payments.

More NDOL news releases are online at dol.nebraska.gov.