Jefferson City, MO –– The Missouri Department of Labor’s (DOLIR’s) Division of Employment Security (DES) announced today that Missouri will begin offering the extended benefits (EB) program for those who have exhausted their previous unemployment benefits.
Missouri’s most recent insured unemployment rate (IUR) of 5.39% triggered the state onto a 13-week EB period beginning the week of May 31, 2020. With the current rate of unemployment nationwide, a total of 44 states have triggered on to EB in recent weeks.
Under federal law, the EB program offers up to an additional 13 weeks of benefits to individuals who have exhausted both their regular unemployment benefits and 13 weeks of the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) assistance.
Upon exhaustion of regular UI entitlement and PEUC entitlement, the DES will issue written notification to all individuals who are eligible to apply for the new EB program. The weekly benefit amount (WBA) under the EB program is the same as the individual received for regular unemployment compensation.
Missouri’s most recent EB program was triggered in 2009 and ended April 7, 2012.
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