Jefferson City - The Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations’ (DOLIR’s) Division of Employment Security (DES) this week began processing $300 Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) payments to eligible unemployed workers under the Continued Assistance for Unemployed Workers Act of 2020.
Eligible claimants should begin seeing their payments within the next few days, depending on how long their bank holds funds.
The FPUC program provides that those eligible for at least one dollar of unemployment compensation benefits during the week will receive an additional $300 per week as a federal supplement. Claimants do not need to take any additional action to receive this supplemental payment.
The FPUC benefits are only payable effective with the week beginning December 27, 2020. Weeks for which payment was requested before that date will not include the FPUC supplement. Payments will be made retroactively to eligible claimants who requested payment for the week beginning December 27, 2020. The last payable week for the $300 FPUC payment will be the week ending March 13, 2021.
The DES notes that child support payments, existing non-fraud overpayments, and taxes, for those that have elected to have taxes withheld, reduces both the $300 payment as well as any weekly unemployment payments.
The previous $600 FPUC program began March 29, 2020, expired July 25, 2020, and provided eligible Missourians with over $2.9 billion in benefit payments.
The DES will make further announcements on the extension of the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program and the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) program as it continues to receive implementation guidance from the US Department of Labor. Before calling the DES, check for additional information on unemployment by visiting labor.mo.gov/coronavirus, watch how-to videos at labor.mo.gov/des/videos, check for correspondence and claim status information at uinteract.labor.mo.gov and ask unemployment questions of the Department’s virtual assistant at labor.mo.gov.
For those struggling during this time, the Missouri Service Navigator can help connect individuals and families with vital local services. For more assistance resources and information, visit labor.mo.gov/DES/Claims/public_programs.
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