DETR addresses Continued Assistance Act, prepares to reprogram system to process claims
Submitted by Jeff Munson on Mon, 12/28/2020 - 3:13pm
CARSON CITY — The Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation issued the following statement Monday regarding the Continued Assistance Act Unemployment Provisions.
On Dec. 27, 2020, a federal COVID-19 relief package that extends and provides additional federal unemployment benefits was signed into law. The Continued Assistance Act provides for an extension of the following federally-funded unemployment programs: Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), and Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC).
It’s been widely reported that due to the delay, claimants will lose one week of their $300 supplemental unemployment payment. According to the Department of Labor, an added $300 per week in FPUC will be available starting the week ending 1/2/21, so eligible claimants will receive the added payment for 11 weeks.
The Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation is awaiting updated rules from the Department of Labor that direct states in how to implement the new unemployment provisions. DETR is preparing to reprogram its system to process claims for the additional benefits.
As was the case with previous federal unemployment programs, DETR must receive guidance from the Department of Labor before it can fully implement the changes and begin issuing payments. The Department of Labor estimates that it may take up to two weeks to issue guidance. States must still wait for federal guidance on sequencing of benefits and requirements for the continuation of the program benefits.
The Continued Assistance Act does include the following changes to unemployment programs:
— Claimants getting PUA after 12/27/20 will be required to provide documentation of their self-employment earnings.
— Claimants getting PUA will be required to verify their identity.
— Claimants in any program will be disqualified for refusing to work without good cause.
What should Nevada claimants do?
— When claimants are permitted to file in PUA and PEUC, FPUC will be automatically added to the claimants’ benefits if they are eligible for the weeks outlined in the legislation.
— Claimants with weeks remaining in UI should continue to file weekly claims.
— Claimants who will have additional weeks in UI and PUA or PEUC due to the Continued Assistance Act should watch the website for updates that will allow additional weeks to be filed. Claimants will be caught up on payments for all weeks they are eligible.
— New claimants should be prepared to upload documents related to their identification and their net self-employment income, if applying for PUA.
More information will be provided on detr.nv.gov as it becomes available.
