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MONTGOMERY – The Alabama Department of Labor began processing payments for the CARES Act extensions provided for in the recently enacted H.R. 133, including the additional $300 weekly Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) payment.

Claimants who are eligible for these payments will need to take no action other than continuing to file their weekly certifications. ADOL began processing these changes on Tuesday, Jan. 5, and claimants should expect to see payments as soon as this week, depending on their bank’s policies.

“ADOL worked quickly to implement these new legislative changes, in order to get this aid to struggling Alabamians as fast as possible,” Alabama Department of Labor Secretary Fitzgerald Washington said in a press release. “Guidance was received from USDOL on Friday, January 1, and funding was received by Monday, January 4, so in all, ADOL was able to get funds out within five days.”

ADOL estimates that $41 million in extended program payments was released on Jan. 5 to approximately 85,000 claimants.

Claimants receiving at least $1 of benefits under any program EXCEPT the Alabama 5-Week Training Program are eligible for the $300 additional weekly payment.

The extensions and additional payment are being added to eligible weeks beginning with the week-ending On Jan. 3.  The legislation did NOT provide for any retroactive payments.

Details on the extensions included in the legislation:

Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC)

4Will provide UP TO 11 weeks of an additional $300 weekly benefit to eligible claimants.

4A claimant must be eligible through a separate unemployment program to receive FPUC.

4FPUC will be available to cover weeks of unemployment between the week ending Jan. 3, 2021, and the week ending March 13, 2021.

Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA)

4Will provide UP TO an additional 11 weeks of benefits, to a maximum of 50 weeks.

4Weekly certification will be required.

4Claimants will be required to provide documentation of eligibility to qualify for PUA beginning Jan. 31, 2021.

4PUA will be available until March 14, 2021 (no new applications after that date), with an allowance for three additional weeks of benefits for those who have not reached the maximum number of weeks through the week ending April 3, 2021.

Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC)

4Will provide UP TO an additional 11 weeks of benefits, to a maximum of 24 weeks.

4PEUC will be available until March 14, 2021 (no new applications after that date), with an allowance of three additional weeks of benefits for those who have not reached the maximum number of weeks through the week ending April 3, 2021.