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COVID-19 Federal Unemployment Programs

IMPORTANT: The final payable week for PUA and PEUC is week ending Saturday, September 4, 2021. The final benefit will be processed on Sunday, September 12, 2021.

On March 27, 2020, Congress passed a federal stimulus package known as the CARES Act which made a number of changes to Unemployment Insurance eligibility and benefits to accommodate workers whose employment was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act expanded criteria for individuals to qualify for unemployment benefits under new federal programs. Find more information about the CARES Act, including specifics pertaining to eligibility. 

After the CARES Act expired, Congress passed and the President signed the Continued Assistance for Unemployed Workers Act of 2020 (CAA) and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) into law on December 27, 2020 and March 11, 2021. These programs extended certain federal unemployment programs including Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC), and Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC).

Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA)

  • The CAA extended PUA to a maximum of 50 weeks of benefits, and the ARPA provided 29 additional weeks of benefits, for a maximum of 79 weeks per claimant. The CAA extension weeks were payable beginning with the benefit week ending January 2, 2021 and the 29-week ARPA extension was payable beginning with the benefit week ending March 20, 2021.
  • The PUA program is available through benefit week ending September 4, 2021.
  • Weekly certifications will continue to be required.

Learn more about PUA

Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Assistance (PEUC)

  • The CAA extended PEUC to a maximum of 24 weeks, and the ARPA provided 29 additional weeks of PEUC benefits, for a maximum of 53 weeks per claimant. 
  • The PEUC program is available through benefit week ending September 4, 2021.
  • Weekly certifications will continue to be required.

Learn more about PEUC

Extended Benefits (EB)

  • On March 27, 2021, the state of Arizona triggered off the EB period, which is based on both state and national economic indicators. This means that under federal and state law, the final payable week of EB was benefit week ending April 17, 2021. EB recipients who are still unemployed or partially unemployed may be eligible to receive Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) by reopening their PEUC claim according to the following instructions:
    • Go to AZUI.com.
    • Click on “Apply for PEUC.” 
    • On the PEUC page, select “File A PEUC Claim.”
    • Log into the initial UI claims application with your existing credentials to reopen your PEUC claim. 
  • If you are unable to reopen your PEUC claim online or have any other questions about your claim, please contact the UI Call Center at 1-877-600-2722 or TDD: 7-1-1. The UI Call Center is available Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM.

Federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (FPUC)

  • FPUC is a $300 weekly supplement for all individuals receiving unemployment benefit payments. In Arizona, eligible claimants will receive FPUC through benefit week ending July 10, 2021.
  • To receive FPUC, a claimant must receive benefits from an underlying unemployment program such as regular UI, PUA, or PEUC.

Frequently Asked Questions

Am I eligible for UI benefits if I am a freelancer, or self-employed?

Possibly. The CARES Act created a Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program for individuals that are self-employed, contract workers, those ineligible for state unemployment benefits or have exhausted benefits. PUA is available through benefit week ending September 4, 2021 and applications are currently being accepted. Find the most up-to-date information on the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance page.

Will I get retroactive payment for the weeks I missed after my benefits were exhausted?

No. Per the federal law, DES is not permitted to issue payments for CAA extension weeks prior to the benefit week ending January 2, 2021 or ARPA extension weeks prior to the benefit week ending March 20, 2021.

How long will the extra $300 in Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) be available?

In Arizona, FPUC will provide an additional $300 weekly supplement for anyone receiving at least $1 in benefits from an underlying unemployment compensation program through benefit week ending July 10, 2021.

Who can receive FPUC?

FPUC is payable to individuals who are otherwise entitled under state or federal law to receive the following UC benefits:

  • Regular Unemployment Insurance
  • Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees
  • Unemployment Compensation for Ex-Servicemembers
  • Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation
  • Pandemic Unemployment Assistance
  • Extended Benefits
  • Shared Work
  • Trade Readjustment Allowances

If an individual is eligible to receive at least one dollar of underlying benefits for a claimed week, the claimant will also receive the full $300 FPUC payment for that week. Individuals will receive FPUC payments concurrently with their weekly benefit payments for the underlying program.

Is it still a requirement to apply for jobs while receiving benefits?

Yes. Work search requirements were reinstated, effective May 23, 2021. In March of 2020, in an effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19, Governor Ducey issued Executive Order 2020-11 which waived the requirement to search for work as a condition of eligibility for receiving unemployment benefits. On May 3, 2021, Governor Ducey rescinded Executive Order 2020-11, reinstating the requirement to search for work beginning May, 23, 2021. This means that in order to be eligible for unemployment benefits, all claimants must complete work search activities. Learn more about Arizona’s work search requirements on the work search web page.

Is there still a waiting week after filing an initial application for benefits?

No. The Department has temporarily suspended the waiting week.

Do I need to reapply for benefits if I stopped filing but I am still unemployed?

PUA and PEUC claimants who had a break in filing benefits do not need to reapply. However, any claimant who has had a break in filing for more than two weeks must reopen their claim before filing additional weekly certifications or receiving additional benefits. PUA claimants who need to reopen their claims can log into their portal and click “Start an unemployment claim,” and they will be directed to the next steps. PEUC claimants can follow these instructions to reopen their claim:

  • Go to AZUI.com.
  • Click on “Apply for PEUC.” 
  • On the PEUC page, select “File A PEUC Claim.”
  • Log into the initial UI claims application with your existing credentials to reopen your PEUC claim

What should applicants do if they make an error on their application?

If an error is made after a claim is submitted, please call 1 (877) 600-2722. Claims cannot be edited after they are submitted.

What is the process for partial unemployment for people whose hours have been reduced as a result of COVID-19?

If your wages have been reduced as a result of COVID-19, you may file for benefits at www.AZUI.com. Depending on your individual circumstance and the amount of gross wages (wages earned before taxes/deductions) you have earned, you may be eligible for benefits.

Weekly earnings will impact your weekly benefit amount. When filing your mandatory weekly claim (the benefit week starts on Sunday and ends on Saturday) you must report all earnings, and earnings in excess of $30 are deducted from the weekly benefit amount. For example, if you qualify for the maximum weekly benefit amount of $240 and you receive $180 in earnings for a week, provided you met the other weekly eligibility requirements, you would receive $90 + the $300 FPUC payment for that weekly claim. If you receive at least $240 in earnings for a week, you will not be eligible for any benefits for that week.

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