Federal Government to Provide Expanded Unemployment Insurance During COVID-19 Outbreak

The federal government has recently made significant changes to unemployment assistance during the coronavirus outbreak, increasing the benefits and broadening who is eligible. While the states will still continue to pay regular unemployment benefits, the bills recently passed by Congress included significant federal funds to support enhanced and extended benefits.

Missouri law currently provides 20 weeks of unemployment insurance (UI) benefits at a maximum of $320 per week. The extended unemployment (EU) allows for an additional 26 weeks, once certain triggers are met and would be fully funded. Additionally, there are three new federally funded programs offering unemployment assistance. The first program would provide emergency assistance to workers who do not traditionally qualify for UI, such as the self-employed, contractors and part-time workers.This program would provide 39 weeks of assistance and is operational through December 31, 2020. The second program funds an additional $600 per week in compensation paid on top of the compensation paid by the state's regular UI program. This program runs through July 31, 2020. The third program funds an additional 13 weeks of unemployment insurance after exhausting the maximum number of weeks allowed by the state's regular unemployment insurance program, assuming the extended benefits are triggered.