Here are a few Unemployment-related tips and updates. I hope you find them helpful.

Unemployment Roundup

Here is a brief overview of the different types of Unemployment payments:

1. 1. Standard Weekly Unemployment payment of UI (Unemployment Insurance) and PUA (Pandemic Unemployment Assistance): This ranges between $104 and $504 a week. Many on PUA are getting $182 a week. Although PUA is a new program designed for COVID, I consider it a “standard payment” because once you are on PUA, it is similar to UI in the sense that you get a weekly benefit rate and that is what you receive each week that you are on Unemployment. In addition, there were “bonuses” for previous weeks:
   2. $600 weekly bonus: FPUC (Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation) for 17 weeks of $600 – totaling $10,200 (for weeks ending: 04/05, 04/12, 04/19, 04/26, 05/03, 05/10, 05/17, 05/24, 05/31, 06/07, 06/14, 06/21, 06/28, 07/05, 07/12, 07/19 and 07/26).
   3. $300 weekly bonus: LWA (Lost Wages Assistance) for 6 weeks of $300 – totaling $1,800 (for weeks ending 08/02, 08/09, 08/16, 08/23, 08/30 and 09/06).

Although PUA and UI are continuing, all bonuses have been distributed and there are currently no bonuses planned for future weeks. If you received standard Unemployment payments any of the weeks above, you should have received the $600 and $300 bonuses as well.

You can still get both FPUC ($600) and LWA ($300) bonuses if you become retroactively eligible for any of the above weeks – say you apply today with a start/effective date of March 15. However, LWA has a clause that once the program “finishes” there will be no more payments. I don’t know when the program will “finish” but it can happen any day, I assume once NY runs out of LWA funds that it received from FEMA.

There are currently no plans for further FPUC, LWA or any other Unemployment bonuses. Further government bills may include further bonuses to replace the $600 FPUC and $300 LWA bonuses. I will post an update if/when that happens.

Related Articles

• • HomeUnemployed > Unemployment Overview
  • Extra $300 a Week in Unemployment: Lost Wages Assistance
  • Effective Days Down to Zero? Don’t Worry
  • Difference Between Regular Unemployment and PUA – Why Less Than $182

Missing Backweeks: Secure Message vs Phone

Over the last 2 weeks, many people did not get replies to messages. Reports are that the DOL transferred many representatives who usually answer messages to the phones, so if you are trying to reach the DOL via secure message (e.g. certifying backweeks), I recommend calling – 888-209-8124 as well. Try calling in the morning and early afternoons, as later on in the day, you have lower chances of getting through.

Related Articles

• • Guide How to Get Missing Unemployment Payments – NY
  • Certifying Back Weeks by Phone

Tips for Calling the DOL

If you need to call the DOL – 888-209-8124 – for backweeks (or any other reason) and want to speak to a representative, you often hear the message “All of our agents are currently busy with other customers, please call back” and the call disconnects. Here are two reported tips that might speed up the process:

1. 1. When it asks for your pin number (after putting in your social), putting in the right social and wrong pin number three times gets you right to a representative. A great option for people who forgot their pin…
   2. Dialing 9 (the options for “any other language”) as soon as the system picks up, supposedly looks for a representative right away without having to go through the options. The issue is that this option usually leads straight to “All of our agents are currently busy with other customers, please call back”, so option #1 is likely more practical.

Related Article

• • Certifying Back Weeks by Phone

Sending in ID

One issue that can cause you to stop receiving payments – or not start receiving payments – is verifying ID. If you need to send in ID, a few points:

• • Your social security card and passport should be signed
  • You should see the signatures in the picture
  • If sending in your social security card or license, include pictures of both the front and back of the ID
  • You can send ID by going to ‘Messages’ > ‘Compose New’ and choosing the subject “Submit Documents” and detailed subject “Submit Identity Documents“
  • You can attach up to five images in one message. You can shrink the file size to be under the maximum 5mb attachment size to fit all images in one message.

LWA: Did You Recieve All Six Payments?

As mentioned above, the LWA program gave out six payments of $300.
Check your bank account/debit card to see if you have all six payments. In NY, if you chose to withhold federal and state taxes, your actual weekly payment is $262.50.
If you got all six payments, great! If not…

• 1. If you don’t see the six payments in your bank account/debit card, check your payment history. You should see two payments (and therefore two lines, regular and LWA) for each LWA week.
  2. If the $300 payments are not there, check if you received any Unemployment payments for the weeks ending 08/02, 08/09, 08/16, 08/23, 08/30, and 09/06. If you were paid Unemployment for those weeks and didn’t get the LWA, call 833-491-0632 to check if you need to certify for the LWA. It’s a one-minute automated service.
  3. If you certified (or called the automated line and were told that you don’t need to certify) and still didn’t get LWA, call the DOL 888-209-8124.

Related Articles

• • Extra $300 a Week in Unemployment: Lost Wages Assistance
  • Certifying Lost Wages Assistance ($1,800) – NY

The Clock is Ticking

If you didn’t apply yet for Unemployment or you didn’t yet certify for the weeks ending 08/02, 08/09, 08/16, 08/23, 08/30, and 09/06, the clock is ticking, if it’s not too late already.

Related Articles

• Unemployment > How to Apply
• Guide How to Get Missing Unemployment Payments – NY
• Don’t Lose Out on $900 (or more) in Lost Wages Assistance

Issue with Zero Effective Days Remaining

Some people who had 3 or fewer days left of their “Effective Days Remaining” did not get their full weeks, even though they were eligible for it. ‘Effective Days Down to Zero? Don’t Worry.‘ was updated to explain why.

Benefit Weeks Calculator

The DOL published a Benefit Weeks Calculator to help people estimate how many weeks of Unemployment they can receive. It’s not a very informative calculator, but in case you find it helpful, here it is.

Further Grants

For more COVID-related financial aid and news, visit ChaiPlus1.com