Mainers won't see federal unemployment benefits for at least a week, state says

Despite President Donald Trump signing COVID-19 relief legislation into law, the state Department of Labor on Monday said it will be at least another week before Mainers again receive federal unemployment benefits.

After months of a political stalemate, Congress on Dec. 21 approved the $908 billion emergency aid package. Trump had been expected to approve it a week ago, but delayed taking action until Sunday, after two programs for jobless Americans expired.

As a result, federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation have lapsed for millions of people, including tens of thousands in Maine.

“This interruption in the programs will cause at least a one week delay in people receiving their federal benefits. However, we are relieved that the bipartisan COVID relief package has been signed by the president," Maine Labor Commissioner Laura Fortman said in a news release.

“Unemployment benefits are a lifeline for thousands of Maine people right now. MDOL will work as quickly as possible to ensure people can continue to provide the basic necessities for themselves and their families.”

The department urged people who have received federal benefits to continue filing weekly certifications for them, even if no claims appear to be active.

States must receive guidance from the U.S. Department of Labor before they can fully implement the changes and begin issuing payments. Having weekly certifications already on file will ensure that payments can be made to eligible individuals as soon as the federal changes are implemented, the release said.

In anticipation of the federal programs expiring, the state Labor Department last week sent $600 emergency relief payments to 40,000 Mainers unemployed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.