Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC)

On May 11, 2021, Governor Kim Reynolds announced new measures to address the State of Iowa’s severe workforce shortage. Effective June 12, 2021, the State of Iowa ended its participation in federal pandemic-related unemployment benefit programs. Iowa stopped participating in the federal Unemployment Emergency Compensation (PEUC) program on that date.  The last payable week for PUA was the week ending June 12, 2021.

OVERVIEW

Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) is a program under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act of 2020 which provides unemployment insurance benefits to those individuals who have exhausted their state unemployment insurance entitlement.  It is funded by the federal government, not by state unemployment taxes paid by employers. 

IMPORTANT:  If you are notified that your benefit year has expired, you must file a new claim online to determine your continued eligibility. States are required to determine if you are eligible for a state unemployment insurance claim when your benefit year expires.  If you are determined to be ineligible for a new benefit year, you can be placed back on PEUC.  The new benefit year filing process may take a few weeks to be finalized, but you would be paid for any weeks you are eligible for as long as you remain eligible and continue to file your weekly claim.

PANDEMIC EMERGENCY UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION (PEUC): 

• Extended unemployment benefits for a claimant who has previously exhausted their benefits.
• Payments through June 12, 2021.
• Individuals are eligible for the same amount of unemployment insurance benefit payment from the previous weeks they received.  

FRAUD WARNING!

• If you knowingly make or cause another person to make a false statement or knowingly fail or cause another person to fail to disclose a material fact and, as a result, receive an amount of Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation to which you are not entitled, you shall be subject to prosecution under 19 section 1001 of Title 18, United States Code.

• An individual found to have committed fraud and subsequently disqualified for a week (or weeks) of unemployment insurance that included a payment of PEUC will be ineligible to receive any additional payments of PEUC in the future following that disqualification.

• Quitting work without cause to obtain additional benefits under the regular UI program or the CARES Act qualifies as fraud. If you obtain these benefits through fraud, you will be ineligible for any additional benefit payments, must pay back the benefits, and are subject to criminal prosecution under section 1001 of Title 18, United States Code.

• Intentional misrepresentation in the reporting of earnings earned during a given week on one’s continued weekly claim for unemployment insurance can result in finding of fraud, a disqualification from benefits, and an overpayment of benefits, in addition to other penalties and potential criminal prosecution.

OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR CLAIMANTS

• Child support obligations must be deducted from PEUC payments in the same way that they are to regular unemployment insurance benefits.

• PEUC payments are taxable. These payments will be included on your 1099G that you receive for the 2020 tax year. Taxes will be withheld from PEUC payments if you have elected to have taxes withheld from your unemployment insurance benefits.

• Notice to Claimants with a CARES Act Overpayment: A non-fraud overpayment of CARES Act benefits does not necessarily make you ineligible for future CARES Act benefits, even if future benefits may be offset to repay the overpayment. If you have received a notice of a non-fraud overpayment of CARES Act benefits, you are still eligible to apply for future benefits.

INDIVIDUAL ELIGIBILITY

TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR BENEFITS UNDER THE PANDEMIC EMERGENCY UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION PROGRAM, INDIVIDUALS MUST:

• Have exhausted all state or federal unemployment insurance benefit payments.
• Be able and available to work and actively seeking work, unless unable to do so due to COVID-19 related reasons.
• Complete and keep a record of work searches (if work searches are required on your claim).
• Report any covered earnings earned during the week being claimed. Covered earnings include, but are not limited to, wages, paid sick time, vacation pay, and holiday pay.

THOSE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR PANDEMIC EMERGENCY EMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION INCLUDE INDIVIDUALS WHO:

• Have the ability to telework with pay and would still be working substantially the same number of hours and be receiving the same pay.

• Are receiving paid sick leave or other paid leave benefits and those benefits would exceed their weekly amount of PEUC.

• Are eligible for another state or federal unemployment program [including unemployment insurance (UI), Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE), Unemployment Compensation for Ex-Servicemembers (UCX), Extended Benefits (EB), and Short-Time Compensation/Voluntary Shared Work (STC/VSW)].

WHAT DO I NEED TO DO?

• If you do not have an active unemployment insurance claim, file a claim online to re-activate your claim.

• If you have recently filed an unemployment insurance claim and have exhausted your benefits, please contact Iowa Workforce Development at 866-239-0843.

• File and/or continue to file your weekly claim online. 

• You will receive a statement in the mail to inform you of the amount you are eligible for under the PEUC program.

HOW TO FILE YOUR WEEKLY CLAIM:

All weekly claims (regular UI & Pandemic Extended Unemployment Compensation) can be filed online at File Your Weekly Claim.

HOURS TO SUBMIT A WEEKLY CLAIM

Sunday - 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. 

Monday through Friday - 8:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.

For questions specific to your claim, please contact uiclaimshelp@iwd.iowa.gov or call us at 866-239-0843.