The Alabama Department of Labor released information regarding new online tools and the programs included in the CARES Act legislation. The new Claims Tracker helps claimants track their claims. The tool is designed to help people find the answers they need without having to spend time calling the Department of Labor. There are several different programs activated with the CARES Act that are included in this tracking tool. Programs include the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) which provides benefits for people not usually eligible. Also added was the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) which covers additional weeks of benefits added to the end of a regular benefit period.
The AL News Release dated 04/16/20, suggests people who filed for PUA and were initially listed as ineligible for benefits may be eligible for PEUC. This release encourages people to fill out form PUA-D4503-MI should they receive one in the mail. The PAU expands unemployment benefits to workers who are not eligible for regular unemployment benefits such as the self-employed.
It’s important to remember that workers qualify for benefits for any week in which they do not have work for a reason covered under the unemployment program. These reasons are generally due to no fault of the displaced worker. Employers are encouraged to file partial claims on their employees behalf for short term layoffs and furloughs.
There is a lot of relief available. When the regular unemployment benefit is stacked with the Federal additional $600 of weekly benefits, unemployment can be attractive for displaced employees as opposed to returning to their workplace when recalled. It’s important to remember that “Refusing to return to work could result in a disqualification for benefit eligibility. Attempts to collect unemployment benefits after quitting a job without good work-related cause is considered to be fraud.”1
Employers may report recalled workers through the AL New Hire program.
Sources
https://labor.alabama.gov/newsfeed/News_CovID19.aspx
https://labor.alabama.gov/nh/new-hire.aspx
1 https://labor.alabama.gov/news_feed/News_Page.aspx?id=221
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