Marcia Hultman

Cabinet Secretary

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Federal Pandemic Unemployment Benefit Programs Archive

Federal Pandemic Unemployment Benefits Programs Have Ended in South Dakota

All federal unemployment pandemic programs have ended in South Dakota. The last claim week to receive federal unemployment benefits if eligible was for the claim week ending June. 26. Any weekly requests for payment under review for weeks through the claim week ending June 26, 2021, will be made when and if an individual is found eligible.

Specific claim issues may continue to be directed to the Customer Service Center at 605.626.2452 or DLRRADivision@state.sd.us. 

DLR will continue to pay regular State claims. 

Federal Unemployment Compensation Programs - Archival Information
Program Details

FPUC 

Federal

Pandemic

Unemployment

Compensation

 *The FPUC program ended June 27, 2021, in South Dakota. No FPUC benefits will be paid for claim weeks of unemployment after week ending June 26, 2021. Any weekly requests for payment under review for weeks through the claim week ending June 26, 2021, will be made when and if an individual is found eligible.
Under the CARES Act Changes under Continued Assistance Act Implementation Under the American Rescue Plan Act
Weeks eligible: March 29 – July 25, 2020

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

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

FPUC will be available to cover weeks of unemployment between Dec. 27, 2020 and week ending March 13, 2021.

 DLR began paying the additional $300 weekly FPUC benefit effective week ending Jan. 2 to eligible claimants.

Claimants do not need to request the FPUC payment.		 Extends the FPUC benefit of $300 per week through the week ending on or before Sept. 4, 2021.*

PUA

Pandemic

Unemployment

Assistance

 

 

 

*The PUA program ended June 27, 2021, in South Dakota. No PUA benefits will be paid for claim weeks of unemployment after week ending June 26, 2021. Any weekly requests for payment under review for weeks through the claim week ending June 26, 2021, will be made when and if an individual is found eligible.

PUA claimants had until the week ending Sept. 4, 2021, to provide proof of employment/self-employment or commencement of employment/self-employment documentation.

Under the CARES Act Changes under Continued Assistance Act Implementation Under the American Rescue Plan Act
Maximum 39 weeks, reduced by weeks of state unemployment compensation and extended benefits.

Expires week ending Dec. 26, 2020.

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

PUA is available until week ending March 13, 2021, (no new applications after that date), with the allowance for three additional weeks of benefits for those who have not reached the maximum number of weeks through April 3, 2021.

Weekly certification will be required.

Please note, there will be additional documentation required to determine eligibility for any benefit payments made to PUA claimants on or after Dec. 27, 2020.

DLR is accepting claims and has sent letters to PUA claimants with instructions on how to reopen their claims.

Reopened PUA claims will need to be reviewed for eligibility before receiving payment per federal requirements under the Continued Assistance Act. The RA Division will review and release payments if eligible. The RA Division will contact you if they need more information.		 Extends PUA through Sept. 6, 2021.*

The first week for which this additional amount may be paid is week ending on March 20, 2021.

The last payable week of PUA is the week ending on Sept. 4, 2021.*

Adds effective date: “No amount shall be payable by virtue of such amendments with respect to any week of unemployment ending on or before March 14, 2021.”

**Per federal guidelines, self-employed individuals must take steps to reopen their businesses and report all wages or seek other employment to remain eligible for reemployment assistance benefits (effective April 25, 2021). See Steps to Reopen Your Business or Search for Work for more information.**

PEUC

Pandemic

Emergency

Unemployment

Compensation

 

 *The PEUC program ended June 27, 2021, in South Dakota. No PEUC benefits will be paid for claim weeks of unemployment after week ending June 26, 2021. Any weekly requests for payment under review for weeks through the claim week ending June 26, 2021, will be made when and if an individual is found eligible.
Under the CARES Act Changes under Continued Assistance Act Implementation Under the American Rescue Plan Act
Maximum 13 weeks

Expires week ending Dec. 26, 2020

 PEUC now provides a total of 24 weeks of unemployment benefits to qualified individuals who have exhausted regular reemployment assistance (RA)benefits.

Available starting with the week ending Jan. 2, 2021.

Individuals can file an initial application for PEUC until March 13, 2021.

Claimants who are receiving PEUC for the benefit week ending March 13, 2021, and who still have benefits available may continue to receive PEUC through week ending April 10, 2021, or until their benefits are exhausted, whichever comes first.

 PEUC claimants should have received a new monetary determination and/or letter the week of Jan. 10 with instructions on how to reopen their claim and request weekly payments. Extends PEUC through Sept. 6, 2021.*

The first week for which this additional amount may be paid is week ending on March 20, 2021.

The last payable week of PEUC is the week ending on Sept. 4, 2021. States may opt to end the program earlier.*

Adds effective date: “No amount shall be payable by virtue of such amendments with respect to any week of unemployment ending on or before March 14, 2021.”

Unemployment Relief for Government Entities and Nonprofits

  • Under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, federal funding for reimbursing employers has been extended until Sept. 6, 2021. This also increases the reimbursement rate from 50% to 75% for the amounts of compensation paid for weeks of unemployment beginning with week ending April 10, 2021, and ending with week ending Sept. 4, 2021.

Fraud Consequences

None of the benefits, nor unemployment benefits of any kind, are available to employees who are terminated for cause, quit their job without good cause, refuse to return to work or refuse to receive full-time pay. Attempts to collect benefit payments in these situations could be viewed as fraudulent. Investigation of job separation is part of the eligibility determination process.

The CARES Act and the extensions of the federal unemployment benefit programs under the Continued Assistance Act and the American Rescue Plan Act specifically provides for serious consequences for fraudulent cases including fines, confinement and an inability to receive future unemployment benefits until all fraudulent claims and fines have been repaid.

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