In a recent Facebook post the Louisiana Workforce Commission addressed why unemployment filers have not yet started to receive the additional $600 a week promised in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act of 2020 – Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) Program that was signed into law by the President on, March 27, 2020.

The post reads:

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝘆 $𝟲𝟬𝟬? 𝗢𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆.

All states are waiting on Federal Guidance. We know that the people of Louisiana are hurting and dealing with bills and living expenses that have come, especially with the first of the month. We have spoken with the US Department of Labor (USDOL) at the very highest levels about when our state will be receiving the promised federal funding so we can let our people know when they may begin receiving their checks. The USDOL advises, as of today, no states have yet received the funding for the additional $600 payments. All states are waiting on Federal guidance (expected next week) and the funding to begin paying the additional $600. These payments will be retroactive for payment for the week of March 29th through April 4th and will continue for up to four months. So please try to access Louisianaworks.net to file if you have not already done so. With the high volume of applications, it is going to take some time for you to get through. Please do not give up! The Louisiana Workforce Commission will begin payments to those who have filed as soon as possible.

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝟭𝟬𝟵𝟵 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗱𝘂𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗶𝗱 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝟭𝟬/𝟭/𝟮𝟬𝟭𝟴 𝘁𝗼 𝟵/𝟯𝟬/𝟮𝟬𝟭𝟵 𝗴𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗶𝘁𝘀?

Contractors and those who are self-employed are also facing extraordinary challenges. Historically, these “1099” workers have not been eligible to receive unemployment benefits. These individuals may soon be eligible for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance. Every state labor agency, including LWC, is awaiting guidance and receipt of funding from USDOL. LWC does not have a definitive time table from USDOL, and thus we cannot provide an exact date of when we will be able to make payments. LWC’s goal is to provide assistance as soon as we possibly can. These payments will be retroactive.

In a News Release dated, April 4, 2020 the U.S. Department of Labor stated “To provide assistance and assurance to those eligible, the benefit payments under FPUC may begin as soon as the week after the execution of a signed agreement between the department and states. The timeline for these payments will vary by state. As states begin providing this payment, eligible individuals will receive retroactive payments back to their date of eligibility or the signing of the state agreement, whichever came later. All states have executed agreements with the department as of March 28, 2020. The CARES Act specifies that FPUC benefit payments will end after payments for the last week of unemployment before July 31, 2020.”

You can read the full News Release here U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR PUBLISHES GUIDANCE ON FEDERAL PANDEMIC UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION