Hawaii to begin processing delayed extended unemployment benefit program for thousands of unemployed residents

Hawaii will begin rolling out the delayed extension of the Emergency Pandemic Unemployment Compensation Program for Extended Unemployment Benefits next week.

Officials at the State Department of Labor and Industrial Relations announced today that they have completed updates to the system to accomplish this task.

The federal program was approved in late December, but Hawaii labor officials said technical issues with the department’s computer system had delayed the start of the program for tens of thousands of unemployed Hawaii residents.

The “PEUC 2” will provide 11 weeks of additional unemployment benefits, which includes an additional federal pandemic unemployment benefit of $ 300 per week, for those who have exhausted their previous PEUC benefits, which provided for 13 weeks of benefits.

The PEUC program was extended by the Federal Continuing Assistance Act and will provide unemployment benefits for the week ending January 2 to March 13. There is a phase-out period between March 14 and April 10, which allows providers with a remaining PEUC 2 balance to receive PEUC benefits until April 10.

“We are pleased to have fully reinstated the PEUC program on which so many workers in our state depend. These are vital programs that have helped the residents of Hawaii provide for their families as we continue to navigate COVID-19, ”DLIR Director Anne Perreira-Eustaquio said in a press release. “While this is a huge step forward, we know there is still work to be done to ensure that everyone receives the benefits to which they are entitled.”

The press release did not specify when beneficiaries would start receiving their additional funds.

The DLIR will begin processing around 68,000 potential complaints early next week. Officials said the ministry plans to process batches of around 5,000 to 10,000 requests per night.

According to the DLIR website, applicants do not need to apply for PEUC 2. The Unemployment Insurance Division will mail out a revised “monetary determination” letter that will include PEUC 2 benefits for individuals. eligible. It can take up to two weeks for applicants to receive their revised “monetary determination” letter.

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For more information and FAQs, visit: https://labor.hawaii.gov/blog/main/cares-act-extension-update-2-11-21.