LANSING, Mich. — The Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency is continuing with its phased approach in implementing the recently extended federal unemployment benefit programs.
Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance claimants who had benefit weeks remaining on their claim as of Dec. 26, 2020, can now begin certifying their claims through their MiWAM accounts, the UIA said Tuesday.
Federal unemployment insurance programs created by the CARES Act were interrupted at the end of the year.
RELATED: UIA begins paying $300 supplemental benefit payments
Eligible claimants in the following categories will receive payments if they certify starting this week:
- Those who did not exhaust their original 13 weeks of PEUC will be able to claim the balance of remaining weeks beginning with the week ending Jan. 2, 2021. Payments will include the additional $300 Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation benefit.
- Those who did not exhaust their original 39 weeks of PUA will be able to claim the balance of remaining weeks beginning with the week ending Jan. 2, 2021. Payments will include the additional $300 FPUC.
The UIA is still working on programming new system changes necessary to begin additional payments under the Continuing Assistance Act for PEUC and PUA claimants who have exhausted their benefit allowance on or before Dec. 26, 2020.
The target date to complete these changes for the remaining PEUC and PUA claimants is Jan. 30.
Those on regular state UI and Extended Benefits programs did not experience a lapse in benefits and began receiving payments on Jan. 10, the UIA said.
“We’re continuing to work towards implementing the remaining provisions of these federal programs as quickly as possible,” UIA Acting Director Liza Estlund Olson said. “Even though we were among some of the first states to begin issuing the additional $300 payments, we won’t rest until everyone who is eligible is able to certify for benefits.”
