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Though other CARES Act benefits meant to mitigate financial losses caused by the COVID-19 pandemic will continue through December, the Texas Workforce Commission sent out a reminder to claimants on July 13 that the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) ends the week of July 25, meaning unemployment beneficiaries will no longer receive the $600 in additional benefits that they have been receiving.
FPUC provided an additional $600 per week to claimants who lost work as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Texans will continue to receive state unemployment benefits for the remainder of their claim. For those on regular unemployment, that is currently up to a potential 59 weeks and a possible 46 weeks for those on Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA). The length of time benefits are available is subject to an individual’s eligibility as well as state economic indicators.
The Act states that the program ends July 31, but benefits must be discontinued before the end of the month because by law TWC cannot pay partial week benefits. The last full benefit week for the extra $600 is the week ending July 25. As a result, only payment requests for weeks ending on or before July 25 can include the additional $600.
Other provisions of the federal act do not expire until Dec. 26. This includes Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC), which provides an extra 13 weeks of benefits to persons who exhaust traditional benefits, and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), which provides up to 46 weeks of benefits to persons who are self-employed or who would not otherwise qualify for state benefits.
For details on TWC and the services it offers in coordination with its network of local workforce development boards, call (512) 463-8942 or visit www.texasworkforce.org.