The federal CARES Act created various programs to expand eligibility to increase accessibility to unemployment insurance benefits throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Programs created under the CARES Act include Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC), Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC), and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA).
PUA, PEUC and FPUC are all scheduled to end the benefit week ending September 4, 2021, which is the final full week of the program. After September 4, 2021, if you are filing in the PUA or PEUC program, you will no longer be eligible to receive those benefits. Please review the information below to better understand how the ending of various programs will impact your eligibility. Further details can be found at https://labor.vermont.gov/covid19/cares-act-ending-information.
On Friday, March 27, 2020, the federal government passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act which included the expansion of those eligible for Unemployment Insurance benefits. Additionally, on August 25, 2020, Governor Phil Scott announced Vermont had secured funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to support the Lost Wages Assistance (LWA) program.
On Sunday December 27, the President signed COVID-19 economic relief legislation which included provisions to extend the unemployment insurance (UI) programs created under the CARES Act until March 14, 2021. Read the full press release here, or further details through the program links below. Further updates will be provided should new information become available.
On Thursday, March 11, 2021, the President signed into law the Country’s next pandemic relief bill know as the American Rescue Plan. This $1.9 trillion stimulus bill provides additional benefits for individuals collecting unemployment compensation, as well as relief for non-profit businesses and local government entities. Read the full Commissioner's Note here.
