All federal pandemic unemployment benefits ended Sept. 4, 2021, in North Carolina. The programs that ended include:
- Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC)
- Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA)
- Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC)
- Mixed Earners Unemployment Compensation (MEUC)
The week ending Sept. 4 is the last week of unemployment for which you can receive federal benefits. You may file your weekly certification for that week on or after Sept. 5, and if eligible, you will receive payment for your last week of federal benefits.
No new claims or weekly certifications may be filed for federal pandemic benefits for weeks of unemployment that begin after Sept. 4.
No. Unemployment benefits are paid on a week by week basis to eligible claimants. No PEUC, PUA, FPUC or MEUC benefits may be paid for weeks ending after Sept. 4, 2021, because of the ending of these programs.
The Division of Employment Security will continue to review claims for eligibility and hear appeals after Sept. 4. Benefits that are owed to claimants for any weeks ending before or on Sept. 4 will be paid retroactively.
The state unemployment insurance benefit program will remain in place. Under state law, these benefits currently provide eligible claimants with up to 13 weeks of benefits in a one-year period, with a maximum benefit of $350 a week.
To be eligible for state unemployment insurance benefits:
- You must be unemployed due to no fault of your own. The Division of Employment Security will make this determination based on information provided by you and your last employer.
- You must have earned sufficient wages in employment that was subject to unemployment insurance tax.
- You must be physically able and available to work.
- You must be actively seeking work, and you must register for work with NCWorks.gov or your resident state's job service office.
Some PEUC claimants became eligible for state unemployment benefits at the beginning of their new benefit year but were allowed to stay on PEUC under state and federal guidelines.
After the PEUC program ends, these claimants will be moved back onto state benefits at their new weekly benefit amount, without a gap in payments. Claimants in this situation do not need to file a new claim for state unemployment benefits.
No. Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), the federal program that provided benefits to self-employed workers and independent contractors, has ended. In order to be eligible for state unemployment benefits, you must have earned wages in employment that was subject to unemployment insurance tax paid by your employer.
No. The Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) program that provided an additional $300 a week has ended.
Under state law, state unemployment benefits currently provide eligible claimants with up to 13 weeks of benefits in a one-year period, with a maximum benefit of $350 a week.
To be eligible for state unemployment benefits, you must be physically able and available to work, and you must be actively seeking work. If you cannot meet these requirements, you may not be eligible for state unemployment benefits.