Texas, one of the first to stop paying extended unemployment benefits!

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The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) will stop paying extended unemployment benefits beginning the week ending September 11, 2021. According to TWC, extended unemployment benefits are only available during periods of high state or national unemployment.

Texas activated the extended payments in May 2020. However, on August 20, 2021, the United States Department of Labor notified TWC that the state’s adjusted total unemployment rate fell below the required 6.5 percent to stay active extended payments.

Applicants currently receiving unemployment benefits can continue to receive the extra benefit until the week ending September 11, 2021, as long as they remain eligible. According to TWC, people who receive unemployment benefits will not see any extended benefits if they exhaust their regular benefits as of September 11, 2021.

The Coronavirus Federal Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES) Stimulus Act was signed into law on March 27, 2020. It had extended unemployment benefits for workers who were affected by the pandemic until December 31, 2020. These benefits have been continued in 2021.

The American Rescue Plan extends extended unemployment benefits through September 6, 2021, and includes $300 a week in additional compensation. The first $10,200 in benefits collected in 2020 was tax-free for households with annual incomes less than $150,000. Check with your state unemployment office for information on eligibility and getting benefits.

Generally, workers in most states are eligible for 26 weeks of unemployment benefits, although some states provide less coverage. Montana is the only state that offers more with 28 weeks of unemployment benefits. In times of high unemployment, the federal government provides funds to states to extend unemployment insurance programs for additional weeks of benefits beyond what each state offers. 

In addition to employees who have traditionally been eligible to collect unemployment insurance compensation, the CARES Act extends benefits to workers who have not qualified for unemployment benefits in the past, including independent contractors, the self-employed, and self-employed workers, concert workers, and the long-term unemployed who have exhausted their benefits. 

Unemployed workers can receive up to a maximum of 79 to 86 weeks of unemployment compensation, depending on location, the unemployment rate in their state, extended unemployment benefits, and eligibility. Those benefits include a combination of unemployment insurance programs that include additional weeks of benefits, extended benefits, and a supplemental weekly payment.

Approved claimants will be eligible for regular state unemployment benefits (for employees) or pandemic unemployment benefits (for self-employed and others who do not qualify for regular benefits). 

Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (PUC): Additional $ 300 per week.

Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) – Allows people receiving benefits to continue receiving benefits as long as the person has not reached the maximum number of weeks. It also increases the number of weeks of benefits that a person can claim through the PEUC.

Extended Unemployment (EB) Benefits: An additional 13 weeks of benefits when a state experiences high unemployment. Some states have also enacted a voluntary program to pay for up to an additional 7 weeks (20 weeks maximum) of Extended Benefits during periods of extremely high unemployment. 12?

Payments will be made by your state unemployment department, and you can get details about eligibility, benefits, and unemployment application online. 

Also, your state and the federal government can provide additional benefits to people who have exhausted unemployment benefits. There are additional weeks of federally funded extended benefits (EB) in states with high unemployment. Unemployed workers are eligible for up to 13 or 20 weeks of unemployment benefits, depending on state laws and the unemployment rate. 

Eligibility requirements vary by state, so be sure to check the FAQ section of your state’s unemployment websites for more details. The Center for Budget and Policy Priorities has a map showing the extended unemployment benefits available in each state.

How you get extended benefits will vary depending on your state. In some states, you will not need to do anything. You will be automatically paid for the additional weeks. In others, you may need to apply. 

Benefits are provided through state unemployment offices and eligibility information will be posted online. If you are eligible, you will be informed about how to collect when your regular unemployment benefits end. fifteen?

What if you have exhausted unemployment benefits? Long-term unemployed workers who have already exhausted state unemployment benefits may also be eligible for additional weeks of benefits. Check your state’s unemployment website for the eligibility criteria in your location.

Key takeaways

More Workers Are Eligible The CARES Act extends eligibility to workers who traditionally could not collect unemployment benefits.

All unemployed workers will receive supplemental benefits. Also, unemployment beneficiaries may be eligible to receive additional payments.

Additional weeks of unemployment benefits are available. Check with your state unemployment office for information on how long you can collect unemployment compensation.