The CARES Act was signed into law on March 27, 2020. It created multiple unemployment insurance programs aimed at addressing the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Continued Assistance Act, American Rescue Plan Act, and special Oregon provisions were later enacted during the pandemic. Below is a summary of the temporary programs and changes as a result:
Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA)
- PUA was for self-employed individuals, contract workers and other workers not eligible for regular unemployment insurance benefits
- Effective Feb. 2, 2020, through Sept. 4, 2021
- If you have questions about your PUA claim, contact us or call the PUA center at 503-370-5400.
Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC)
- PEUC was an extension of regular claims that offered up to an additional 53 weeks of benefits
- Some PEUC claimants, who were eligible for a new regular claim with a lower weekly benefit amount, could remain on their higher PEUC claim (claim deferral)
- Effective March 29, 2020, through Sept. 4, 2021
Extended Benefits (EB)
- EB was an extension of regular claims that was payable if the person exhausted PEUC eligibility.
- EB offered up to 20 additional weeks of benefits
- The number of EB weeks available depended upon Oregon’s unemployment rate
- Regular EB paid up to 13 weeks
- High EB (HEB) paid an additional seven weeks and ended Dec. 12, 2020
- EB was available in Oregon from June 28, 2020, through Feb. 20, 2021
- EB is triggered separately in each state based on its unemployment rate
Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC)
- FPUC were funds paid in addition to the person’s regular or PEUC weekly benefits
- $600 extra per week was payable from March 29, 2020, through July 25, 2020
- $300 extra per week was payable from Dec. 27, 2020, through Sept. 4, 2021
Mixed Earner Unemployment Compensation (MEUC)
- MEUC were funds paid in addition to the person’s regular or PEUC weekly benefits who had qualifying W-2 and self-employment income
- $100 extra per week was payable from Dec. 27, 2020, through Sept. 4, 2021
Lost Wages Assistance (LWA)
- LWA were funds paid in addition to the person’s regular, PEUC, EB, or PUA weekly benefits.
- Claimants had to self-certify they were unemployed or working reduced hours as a result of COVID-19
- $300 extra per week was payable from July 26, 2020, through Sept. 5, 2020
- FEMA funded this temporary program
Waiting Week Waived
- On April 16, 2020, the Oregon governor announced the waiting week will be waived for regular unemployment insurance claims from March 8, 2020, through Sept. 4, 2021
- PUA claims did not require a waiting week
Earnings Disregard
- On Sept. 1, 2020, Gov. Brown signed Senate Bill 1701 effective Sept. 6, 2020.
- Claimants who earned less than their weekly benefit amount and worked fewer than 40 hours would not have their weekly benefits reduced if their earnings were $300 or less during the week claimed
- On May 17, 2021, the governor signed House Bill 3178, effective May 23, 2021, to modify the $300 earnings disregard to claimants who worked fewer than 40 hours regardless of their weekly benefit amounts
The earnings disregard of $300 ended Jan. 2, 2022