COVID-19 AND UNEMPLOYMENT UPDATES
APPLICATIONS FOR 13 WEEKS OF EXTENDED UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS AVAILABLE MAY 6
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginians who have exhausted their regular unemployment benefits and are eligible for Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) can apply for a 13-week extension on Wednesday, May 6.
The additional weeks of benefits are provided through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act and will be available to individuals who previously collected state or federal unemployment compensation but have exhausted those benefits. Applicants may apply for the PEUC extension by visiting www.workforcewv.org after 9 a.m. on Wednesday, May 6 and clicking the “Apply for PEUC Extra 13 Weeks Here” tile on the front page.
“Unemployed workers can apply for PEUC benefits on their own starting Wednesday and we’ll contact folks who have exhausted their benefits and let them know that they can apply for the extension,” said Scott Adkins, acting commissioner for WorkForce West Virginia. “Our hearts go out to everyone who has had to wait patiently to apply for benefits. Folks can be assured they will be made whole.”
Individuals eligible for PEUC benefits will receive the same amount of unemployment compensation he or she received in previous weeks in addition to the $600 in weekly Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC).
To learn more about PEUC benefits, visit www.workforcewv.org/cares-act-questions.
CORONAVIRUS AID, RELIEF AND ECONOMIC SECURITY (CARES) ACT EXPANDED UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE INFORMATION
Gov. Jim Justice issued an executive order on Thursday, March 19, directing WorkForce West Virginia and the West Virginia Department of Commerce to provide unemployment benefits to those affected by COVID-19 and administer them to the maximum extent permitted by federal law. Click here to view the full executive order
Gov. Justice’s executive order allows WorkForce to:
• Waive the one-week waiting period for eligible West Virginians to receive unemployment benefits
• Waive the able and available work requirement
• Waive the work search requirement
• Unemployment benefits will be available to eligible individuals who are requested by a medical professional, local health authority or employer to be isolated or quarantined as a consequence of COVID-19, even if they are not actually diagnosed.
To file for unemployment benefits, click here.
COVID-19 and Unemployment Updates can be found here – https://workforcewv.org/covid19
