[All States] Backpay FAQ + Basics

[juan9080]

[h4]Basics[/h4]

1. Most states require that as soon as you are unemployed, that the next following unemployment week that you file your initial claim filing. Most states allow some kind of backdating for requesting weekly claims prior to the date of the initial claim filing. Most states there is a maximum you can go back, 2 weeks - 4 weeks.

2. All states have a law that specifically requires that you have good cause for not filing those weeks timely; requesting a back date. "I didn't know" or "It was too hard to call" may not longer be acceptable.

3. If you already have a back date request pending, then you just need to start an escalation to force your unemployment office to actually process the request (deny or accept)

4. US Department of Labor closed the enrollment period for PUA claims after 10/6/2021.

[h4]FAQ[/h4]

Q: I have a back date request pending, is it worth it for me to work towards that?

• A: "Worth" implies that you know how much money is at stake, and you have an idea of how much effort is going to be required to get it, and thirdly how that volume of money would impact your own personal economy, something about which we have no idea. However we do know that if you have a back date request pending, simply start an escalation because that takes about 5 minutes, most people need to follow up on an escalation at least once per week to get it to complete and most escalations complete within 2 to 9 business days, (the example linked here resolved in 4 days). If you don't know how much money is at stake, you should find that out. And even if you don't know how to find that out you should still spend the 5 minutes to start an escalation.

Q: I did not realize I was eligible for PUA, can I still file?

• A: (Updated at 8:45am, pdt) While none of the three Federal relief legislations, CARES, CAA, ARPA included money for major PR campaigns, and therefore there were no billboards or Facebook ads or radio ads or TV ads about who qualifies and how to apply, and therefore it is understandable that you may not have known, the fact is that it is very late to be applying now and

  US Department of Labor has closed the enrollment window, except in unique cases

  :

UIPL 16-20, Change 6, Attachment II, from 9/3/2021

Question: Is the state required to accept PUA applications until October 6, 2021, or would it
be through the end of the unemployment week prior to October 6, 2021?

Answer: For claims other than those described in Section 4.c. of this UIPL where the
individual is eligible for PUA in multiple states and where the state did not terminate the
PUA program before the program expiration date, the state must accept new PUA
applications through October 6, 2021. Note that PUA may not be paid for any weeks of
unemployment ending after September 6, 2021.

[sup]Thank you, @jamaix ![/sup]

Q: Is it worth applying if there are going to be more extensions?

• A: First, see the answer above. Second, there have been no extensions since all federal benefits expired 9/4/2021[sup]¥[/sup]. This means that you cannot claim any weeks under a Pua claim on or after that date.
• [sup]¥:[/sup][sup]Federal benefits: PFUC, the +$300/week in addition to the weekly benefit, the entire PUA claim type, and PEUC, the federal benefit type that extended UI claims after their state-based benefits were exhausted[/sup]

Q: What were the claimable weeks for the federal benefits?

• A: 2/2/2020 - 9/4/2021, last date a PUA claim could be started was 10/6/2021.

Q: I am self-employed, and not working, is there a claim type for me?

• A: First, see answer above: The PUA claim type ended 9/4/2021, enrollment ended 10/6/2021. If you are eligible for UI, back date requests may be able to be made depending on the state but they require a particular burden to prove that you were unable to file prior to your filing date. Otherwise you need to work with your states unemployment office to see if there is a way you could possibly qualify for a UI claim, see below question for state-based criteria for a UI claim.

Q: I was on a UI claim that was extended by the federal benefit type PEUC, and of course that stopped on 9/4/2021, but I am laid off again / have not been able to find a job, can I apply again?

• A: Apply? Yes. Be approved? Well, that depends on your state's criteria of what is required to be eligible for a new unemployment claim after the end of your benefit year, this can almost always be retrieved by a 30-second Google search with your

  state's name, unemployment, and how to apply

  . In Washington they require that you have worked 680 hours or more in the proceeding quarter. Some states it's based on total income. You must apply in the state in which you worked or were scheduled to Begin work.
• Added 10/22/2021 [All States] Backpay FAQ & Basics