Federal pandemic unemployment benefits end in NC; other forms of aid still available
ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — On Sept. 4, federal pandemic unemployment benefits expired in North Carolina, meaning many unemployed people will no longer receive an extra $300 weekly.
The week ending Sept. 4, 2021, is the last payable week for the following benefit programs:
- Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC)
- Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA)
- Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC)
- Mixed Earners Unemployment Compensation (MEUC)
For the last 17 months, those extended federal benefits helped those who lost their jobs because of the COVID-19 pandemic. But now, according to the North Carolina Division of Employment Security, about 70% of those who were getting unemployment benefits prior to Sept. 4 no longer qualify.
While state unemployment benefits are still available, not everyone who received the expanded federal benefits will be eligible for the state aid. Plus, the state only provides up to 13 weeks of benefits, with a maximum of $350 a week, though the average is lower.
To be eligible for state unemployment benefits:
- You must be unemployed due to no fault of your own.
- You must have earned sufficient wages in employment that was subject to unemployment insurance tax.
- You must be physically able and available to work.
- You must be actively seeking work.
Additionally, self-employed and independent contractors don't qualify for any unemployment benefits at all now in North Carolina, as they were only eligible for the federal help.
Pisgah Legal Services chief operations officer Jaclyn Kiger said the ending of the expanded federal benefits brings to light how little the unemployment assistance offered by the state of NC is.
"That is an area for advocacy and really looking at what can be done at the state level. Unfortunately, North Carolina has some of the lowest unemployment benefits in the country. The average person receives in North Carolina $235 a week in straight North Carolina benefits, which is very limited," Kiger said.
She said the ending of the federal benefits will be a tough blow for many in the mountains whose pocketbooks are still feeling the impacts of COVID-19.
"This has been really a lifeline of income for many families throughout the pandemic. We at Pisgah Legal Services are continuing to really make sure that people here in the community know about the financial resources that are available to them," Kiger said. "One area that we have seen consistently throughout the pandemic being a great need is for people needing help paying both their rent and their mortgage.
Pisgah Legal is encouraging those struggling to make ends meet to check out the NC Hope Program, which helps with rent and utility payments.
They're also encouraging people to apply for public benefits like food stamps and Medicaid.
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For those who have now found themselves looking for work -- the job market in the mountains has never been hotter, said Nathan Ramsey, executive director of the Land of Sky Regional Council and the director of the Mountain Area Workforce Development Board.
He said there's about 23,000 job openings in the region and plenty of opportunities for those seeking employment. However, Ramsey said he's not sure the ending of the federal benefits will truly improve the labor shortage we're experiencing.
"My personal take is - we may see some increased activity among job seekers with the federal unemployment benefits going away. But, I don't really think it's going to be a gamechanger for employers," Ramsey said. "We're looking at an ongoing tight labor market."
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He said there's a disconnect between many of the people seeking jobs and the jobs that are available.
"You may have job seekers that are searching for maybe a higher-level job, but there's only an entry-level job available," Ramsey said.
He said there are about 9,000 unemployed people in the Asheville metro area. So, even if they all got jobs now after the expiration of the federal unemployment benefits, we'd still have about 14,000 vacancies in the region.
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Ramsey said if you are searching for a job, there are a lot of resources available, and you should check out your local NCWorks Career Center for help. A major hiring event is coming up soon, too. The WNC Career Expo is 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Oct. 12 at the WNC Ag Center in Fletcher. Organizers said there will be lots of employers offering great wages and benefits for a variety of careers there.