Unemployed Iowans say ending benefits will do more harm than help Share Updated: 6:37 AM CDT May 13, 2021
Unemployed Iowans say ending benefits will do more harm than help Share Updated: 6:37 AM CDT May 13, 2021
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Show Transcript I was not really happy about it. That was patty Blackwells reaction after finding out her federal pandemic related unemployment benefits would be ending early. She s a Type two diabetic with osteoarthritis and a family history of blood clots because of that. She s nervous about getting a vaccine or going back to work. So her cutting off the unemployment for people like me early is kind of scary because now I don t know if I could even get a job at my age or you know, if I m even able to go back to work. Blackwell received the extended federal benefits plus an additional 300 a week after she was laid off at the start of the pandemic. My husband just got a promotion at work so maybe he ll make enough to sustai
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Unemployed Iowans are expected to begin receiving Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation benefits the week of Jan. 18, Iowa Workforce Development said in a news release Monday.
FPUC provides those receiving unemployment benefits an additional $300 per week through March 13. The initial version of FPUC gave $600 per week, but it expired at the end of July.
While President Donald Trump signed the federal coronavirus relief bill Dec. 27, IWD was waiting for guidance from the U.S. Department of Labor before issuing FPUC benefits.
The state agency is encouraging unemployed Iowans to file their claims online. It automatically will enroll eligible Iowans in federal unemployment programs.
But it still is waiting for federal guidance before it can issue PUA or PEUC benefits to new applicants.
IWD also cannot issue payments from Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation the additional $300 per week in unemployment benefits until it receives federal direction.
“IWD anticipates the guidance will be issued within the next two weeks,” the agency said in a news release. “We will have limited resources available to answer customer service calls over the holiday season.”
The wait comes as Iowa saw increases in new and continuing unemployment claims the week of Dec. 20.
New claims rose from 7,271 to 7,644. Continuing claims jumped from 37,492 to 38,296.