Add South Dakota to the growing list of states terminating participation in the federal government’s pandemic-related unemployment assistance programs.
State Labor and Regulation Secretary Marcia Hultman says the termination is effective the week ending June 26, 2021. She says businesses across the state continue to say they would grow and expand if they could find enough workers. She says “help wanted” signs are everywhere so ending these programs is a necessary step towards recovery, growth and getting people back to work.
Hultman says South Dakota was the only state to not apply for the federal Lost Wages Assistance supplement last fall and the state did not opt into the federal Mixed Earner Unemployment Compensation program in December 2020.
Federal unemployment-related programs ending the last week of June are:
- Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC)– affected claimants who have exhausted their traditional 26 weeks of regular State unemployment compensation.
- Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC)– issued $300 supplemental weekly payments to all claimants who were receiving unemployment benefits regardless of the program under which they were being paid.
- Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA)– currently provides benefits to the self-employed, the underemployed, independent contractors and individuals who have been unable to work due to health or COVID-19-related reasons.
South Dakota will continue to pay regular State unemployment claims.
Hultman says DLR’s online jobs database– SDWORKS– has averaged over 23,000 job openings daily. She says Job Service offices are open and ready to support those returning to the workforce, in need of additional skills or training or who need an extra hand in overcoming barriers.
To search for new jobs or receive virtual employment services, visit www.sdjobs.org.
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