Alabama Department of Labor

News Release
For Immediate Release: March 19, 2021
ADOL Begins Processing American Rescue Plan Extended Benefits and Additional $300 Weekly Benefit

MONTGOMERY – The Alabama Department of Labor will begin processing payments for the American Rescue Plan (ARP) extensions, including the additional $300 weekly Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) payment.

Claimants who are eligible for these payments will need to take no action other than continuing to file their weekly certifications. ADOL completed programming for these changes on Thursday, March 18, and claimants should expect to see payments as soon as next week, depending on their bank’s policies.

“As with previous extensions of pandemic related unemployment benefits, Alabama has been able to respond quickly with little to no delay in payments to those who need them,” said Alabama Department of Labor Secretary Fitzgerald Washington. “Modernizing our system in early January 2020 has certainly helped us to be able to achieve these goals. Alabama had the extensions implemented within three days of receiving guidance from USDOL.”

Claimants receiving at least $1 of benefits under any program EXCEPT the Alabama 5-Week Training Program are eligible for the $300 additional weekly payment.

The extensions and additional payment are being added to eligible weeks beginning with week-ending 3/20/21.

Details on the extensions included in the legislation:

Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC)
• Extended the duration to September 4, 2021, this provides 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 week ending March 20, 2021 and week ending September 4, 2021.

Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA)
• Extended the duration to September 4, 2021, to a maximum of 79 weeks.
• Weekly certification will be required.
• Claimants will be required to provide proof of employment or self-employment to qualify for PUA beginning Jan. 31, 2021.

Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC)
• Extended the duration to September 4, 2021, to a maximum of 53 weeks.

Those currently receiving benefits under these programs should continue to file their weekly certifications.
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Members of the media seeking more information should contact Communications Director Tara Hutchison.

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