ROXBURY, Vt. (WCAX) - State leaders say out-of-work Vermonters will get their unemployment benefits from the newest congressional relief package, but that for many it could take additional time to set up the new system and wait for more guidance from the federal government.
Jay Gilman worked as a trash hauler before the pandemic. He’s an independent contractor and has received benefits under the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program. He is one of several thousand Vermonters running into problems applying for 11 new weeks of additional benefits in the state’s PUA and PUEC programs granted under the new CARES Act.
“You do what you have to. You struggle. You go to the food shelf if you have one,” Gilman said.
Governor Phil Scott on Tuesday said there will not be a gap in benefits. But because President Trump was late in signing the relief package and many on PUA have already exhausted their benefits before the week ending December 26th, the first week they will be able to file is for the week ending January 2.
“There was a concern there would be a loss of one week because of the delay in signing. That’s not the case. Everyone will get the extended benefits, it’s just a question of when they’ll be able to file,” said Vt. Labor Commissioner Michael Harrington.
He says given the time to set up the new system and roll out changes on the state level, it could be a week before regular unemployment insurance claimants are able to apply and two weeks for PUA claimants like Gilman.
This week there has been some mixed messaging from labor department call center workers. Harrington says it’s because the federal government hasn’t released official guidance on the new programs. “Telling us how these programs need to be designed, how they need to be implemented, and what kind of information we need to provide to claimants for the next steps,” he said.
So, many Vermonters will have to wait. Gilman says he understands but that it’s still frustrating that a seemingly innocuous delay in signing the relief bill resulted in so much confusion on the local level. “I’m looking at two, maybe three weeks with no money. Yeah, I’m going to get my money, but there’s a lapse there. I don’t care how you look at it,” he said.
The state is also rolling out a new program called the Mixed Earner Compensation program which gives some Vermonters filing in regular UI or PEUC who also have earned more than $5,000 in self-employed wages for the previous tax year eligible for an additional $100 weekly benefit. Officials are still digging into the details and waiting for federal guidance on that program.
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Many out-of-work Vermonters will see delay in PUA benefits - WCAX
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