Other CARES Act benefits continue through December

AUSTIN – The Texas Workforce Commission reminds claimants that the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) ends the week of July 25, 2020. FPUC provided an additional $600 per week to claimants who lost work as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Texans will continue to receive state unemployment benefits for the remainder of their claim. For those on regular unemployment that is currently up to a potential 59 weeks and 46 weeks for those on Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA). The length of time benefits are available is subject to an individual's eligibility as well as state economic indicators.

Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation was passed as part of the CARES Act. The program provides federal reimbursement to states for an additional $600 per week. A full benefit week begins on Sunday and ends on Saturday. The Act states that the program ends July 31, but benefits must be discontinued before the end of the month because by law TWC cannot pay partial week benefits. The last full benefit week for the extra $600 is the week ending July 25th. As a result, only payment requests for weeks ending on or before July 25 can include the additional $600. State unemployment benefits will continue to be paid after this date, they simply will not include the additional $600 anymore.

Other provisions of the federal act do not expire until December 26, 2020. This includes Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC), which provides an extra 13 weeks of benefits to persons who exhaust traditional benefits, and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), which provides up to 46 weeks of benefits to persons who are self-employed or who would not otherwise qualify for state benefits.

For more information on eligibility requirements, available benefits and questions about the unemployment process, visit TWC's COVID-19 FAQ page.