HOUSTON — The Verify team is getting a lot of questions about the extra $300 in unemployment benefits that will end in Texas in a couple of weeks. People wanted to know whether that includes all of the federal money available to Texans?
Gov. Greg Abbott announced in May that, after June 26, Texas will opt out of all federal assistance programs. That includes the extra $300 per week congress approved earlier this year under the American Rescue Plan.
Nicole wrote the Verify team, “Is it true he's actually canceling all of the ARP programs, including: federal pandemic unemployment compensation (FPUC), pandemic emergency unemployment compensation (PEUC) and the pandemic unemployment assistance (PUA)?”
Charlene wrote the Verify team, “… no one is stating that those on unemployment on federal emergency funds will lose all unemployment not just the $300. What is the truth?”
Our source for this is the Texas Workforce Commission.
Cisco Gamez with the TWC says the state will pay federal pandemic unemployment benefits under the ARP through June 26.
“This includes Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program for those who traditionally do not qualify for regular state benefits such as self-employed and independent contractors or exhausted all other benefits, Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) that extends regular state benefits, and Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC), which provides an additional $300 weekly benefit payment,” Gamez said.
So, we can Verify that if you are currently getting PUA, PEUC, and FPUC benefits, those too will end the week of June 26, 2021.
Gamez adds, the TWC will continue to pay regular state unemployment benefits after June 26 to those who remain eligible or have not exhausted their state benefits.
Texas is not alone in stopping the federal unemployment payment of $300 a week. Half of the states are doing it including Florida and Ohio.