February 4, 2021

LINCOLN – The Nebraska Department of Labor is continuing to roll out provisions of the federal Continued Assistance Act, the federal legislation that amended unemployment benefit programs established under the CARES Act. 

• Since the Act took effect, NDOL has paid benefits under all CARES Act programs that were amended.
• From December 27, 2020 to February 3, 2021, NDOL paid roughly $24.2 million in Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) and Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) benefits.
  • $2.8 million PUA
  • $4.3 million PEUC
  • $17.1 million FPUC
• NDOL will be contacting individuals known to have potential eligibility under the 11-week extension of PUA and PEUC.
• Individuals who have exhausted 2020 PUA and PEUC claims should continue to file their weekly claims, or re-open their claim, to receive the additional 11 weeks of benefits.  They should NOT file a new claim.
• Regular state unemployment, PUA and PEUC claimants who are receiving benefits for weeks ending on or after Jan. 2, 2021, are receiving an additional $300 in Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) on top of their regular weekly benefit amount. 
• Claimants who had a remaining balance of PUA or PEUC benefits when the programs expired on Dec. 26, 2020, and who have been filing weekly claims, are currently receiving payments for each remaining eligible week of their 2020 claim
• Retroactive payments are being issued for all eligible weeks impacted by the implementation of Continued Assistance Act programs.
• NDOL is working to: 
  • Implement the new Mixed Earner Unemployment Compensation (MEUC) program and other provisions of the Continued Assistance Act.
  • Resolve issues on claims impacted by the implementation of the amended programs

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