Representative Gailliard held a FaceBook live townhall last week with G.K. Butterfield to discuss details on the various types of unemployment compensation available to our state as a result of COVID-19.
Important unemployment information from the Division of Employment Security, North Carolina’s unemployment agency.
The Federal CARES Act provides for three temporary unemployment compensation programs due to COVID-19:
* Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation
* Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation
* Pandemic Unemployment Assistance
The Division of Employment Security is awaiting guidance from the U.S. Department of Labor to implement these programs. Once we receive the final guidance, benefits should start being paid in about two weeks.
Anyone who filed a claim due to COVID-19 before this legislation may still be eligible for these benefits. If any benefits are owed for a week previously claimed, payment will be made retroactively.
Here is a brief summary of each program . I will share more details about eligibility
and how to apply for benefits as they become available.
Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC)
: Provides an additional
$600 in weekly unemployment insurance benefits paid for weeks after March 29, 2020. The program is slated to end July 31, 2020.
Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation
(PEUC): Provides up to 13
additional weeks of unemployment insurance benefits.
Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA)
: Provides unemployment compensation
for individuals not eligible for regular unemployment insurance or any extensions to
unemployment insurance. This would provide coverage to eligible self-employed
workers and independent contractors who are not typically eligible for unemployment
HOW DO I FILE FOR UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE?
The fastest and most efficient way to file a new claim is to file online at des.nc.gov. If you don't have access to a computer or need assistance, you may file over the phone by calling the Customer Call Center at 888-737-0259. However, due to the high volume of calls related to COVID-19, you may experience a long wait time. DES will ensure that claimants do not miss out on any weeks of eligibility due to the high call volume. We will begin the claim with the week when they initially attempted to file.