Federal pandemic-related unemployment programs end Saturday in Louisiana

Lake Charles, LA (KPLC) - Federally-funded pandemic-related unemployment programs are ending in Louisiana on July 31.

The Louisiana Workforce Commission announced earlier this month that Act No. 276 is ending Louisiana’s participation in the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.

“Our core mission has always been putting Louisianians to work but that is more important now than ever,” LWC Secretary Ava Cates said in a statement. “What matters right now is helping people provide for themselves and their families and making sure Louisiana comes back stronger than ever.”

The Workforce Commission says the following federally funded programs will end Saturday:

Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), which provides unemployment benefits for individuals who do not qualify for state-funded benefits.
Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC), which extends “regular” unemployment claims that have exhausted state-funded benefits.
Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC), which provides $300 in weekly supplemental federal unemployment benefits to eligible claimants in PUA and PEUC, as well as state-funded “regular” unemployment and Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA).
Mixed Earners Unemployment Compensation (MEUC), which allows individuals with a state-funded or PEUC claim and at least $5,000 in self-employment income in 2020 to receive an additional $100 in weekly benefits. MEUC is still in implementation development in Louisiana.

Act No. 276 will also raise maximum weekly Louisiana unemployment benefits by $28 beginning Jan. 1, 2022.