Jefferson City, MO –– The Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations’ (DOLIR’s) Division of Employment Security (DES) began issuing the $600 Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) payments yesterday with a total of $66 million in benefits paid out to over 115,000 claimants.
Eligible claimants should begin seeing their payments within the next few days, depending on how long their banks hold funds.
The FPUC program provides that those eligible for at least one dollar of unemployment compensation benefits during the week will receive an additional $600 per week as a federal supplement. All who are eligible for unemployment compensation will be eligible for the $600 supplement effective with the week beginning March 29. Payments will be made retroactively for claims filed on or after March 29. The last payable week for the $600 supplement will be the week ending July 25, 2020.
The DES notes that child support payments, existing non-fraud over payments, and taxes, for those that have elected to have taxes withheld, will reduce both the $600 payment as well as any weekly unemployment payments. Those with an existing fraud penalty are not eligible for additional unemployment benefits.
The DES plans to provide an update later this week about the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program which provides benefits to individuals who are not eligible for regular unemployment, including those who have exhausted their unemployment benefits, the self-employed, as well as individuals lacking sufficient work history.
For questions and answers related to the coronavirus and unemployment, as well as other effects on employment, visit labor.mo.gov/coronavirus frequently for updates.
###