Federal Unemployment Programs Ended

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Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC), and Federal Pandemic Unemployment compensation (FPUC) ended on September 4, 2021. No payments can be made under these programs for September 5, 2021 or later.

Summary of Programs:

• Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA)
• Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC)
• Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC)
• Mixed Earners Unemployment Compensation (MEUC)
• Lost Wages Assistance (LWA)
• Extended Benefits (EB)

Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA)

Unemployment benefits for people not otherwise eligible for regular UI (e.g. self-employed, independent contractors, workers with limited work history)

• The deadline to apply for PUA was October 6, 2021.
• Up to 79 weeks were available from week ending February 8, 2020 through week ending September 4, 2021. Forty of these weeks could only be paid for December 27, 2020 or later.
• PUA Publications:
  • Claiming PUA in Wisconsin (Claimant Handbook), PUA-10-P
  • PUA Rights and Responsibilities, PUA-18781-P
  • Notice to All PUA Applicants, PUA-18782-P

Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC)

A temporary emergency increase in unemployment benefits

• Provided an additional payment to individuals who were collecting benefits from any of the following programs:
  • Regular Unemployment Insurance (UI), including
    • Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE)
    • Unemployment Compensation for Ex-Service members (UCX)
  • Extended Benefits (EB)
  • Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA)
  • Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC)
  • Work-Share (STC)
  • Trade Readjustment Allowances (TRA)
• $600 per week from week ending April 4, 2020 through week ending July 25, 2020
• $300 per week from week ending January 2, 2021 through week ending September 4, 2021

Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC)

A temporary program that provided additional weeks of emergency benefits for people who remained unemployed after they exhausted their Regular UI benefits

• Up to 53 weeks were available from week ending April 4, 2020 through week ending September 4, 2021. Forty of these weeks could only be paid for December 27, 2020 or later.

Mixed Earners Unemployment Compensation (MEUC)

A temporary program which provided an additional $100/week payment to individuals who received regular UI benefits and earned at least $5,000 in net earnings from self-employment in the tax year prior to the individual's initial claim

• Required to apply for MEUC and supply necessary documentation to prove net self-employment earnings.
• Eligible and have at least $1 due in underlying UI benefits.
• Payable week ending January 2, 2021 through week ending September 4, 2021

Lost Wages Assistance (LWA)

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) program that provided an additional $300 per week to eligible claimants who certified that they were unemployed or partially unemployed due to disruptions caused by COVID-19.

• In addition to regular Unemployment Insurance (UI), Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC), Extended Benefits (EB), Work-Share, or Trade Readjustment Allowances (TRA) benefits currently available to unemployed Wisconsin workers.
• Required a weekly benefit rate of at least $100 to be eligible. (Note: Work-Share claimants were eligible for LWA if at least $100 was payable to them post-reduction).
• Payable for week ending August 1, 2020 through September 5, 2020.
• No payments of LWA will be made after March 27, 2022.

Extended Benefits (EB)

Additional unemployment benefits to those who exhausted their regular Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits and Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC)

• An additional 13 weeks of benefits.
• Individuals collecting Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) were ineligible.
• Payable week ending May 23, 2020 through week ending November 7, 2020.