Unemployment Update
Finalized data from the Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation (DETR) show initial claims for unemployment insurance (UI) totaled 8,964 for week ending October 10, up 1,023 claims, or 12.9%, compared to the previous week. Regular continued claims totaled 157,205 during week ending October 10, down 16,424 claims, or 9.5%, compared to the previous week.
The Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program, which provides up to 46 weeks of benefits for the self-employed, 1099 contract workers, and gig workers saw 8,497 initial claims filed in the week ending October 10, a decrease of 942 claims, or 10%, from last week’s total of 9,439. Through the week ending October 10, 492,069 PUA initial claims have been filed.
DETR set to send out ineligibility determinations in the
PUA system over the next three weeks
On Thursday DETR announced that nearly 217,500 PUA ineligibility claim determination notices will be sent in the next three weeks.
Staff have been working to verify the identity of PUA claimants. If identity cannot be validated, these cases have been determined to be ineligible for benefits. Individuals have the right to appeal this determination.
Claimants are reminded to continue to file weekly claims for unemployment benefits while the appeal is pending in order to receive payments if the appeal is decided in their favor.
To view the full press release, click here.
State Implementing federal Lost Wages Assistance program
DETR announced today the roll-out of the Lost Wages Assistance (LWA) program. LWA is funded by FEMA which provided grants to participating states to offer additional temporary benefits to certain individuals receiving unemployment benefits.
DETR began the rollout with a small test run of payments earlier this week after intensive work to establish the programming necessary to run effectively the new LWA program since it was announced by the federal government last month. The testing proved successful, and initial payments in the PUA system began last night. It is important to note that while PUA payments are being deposited, claimants are not yet able to see those payments when they log into their claim on the PUA system.
Payments in the UI system will be made in batches and are expected to be completed over the next several days.
For weeks following the first three, DETR was awarded a lump sum grant amount which is likely to cover only one or two additional weeks of benefits for qualified claimants. These payments will be sent one week at a time beginning the last week of October. DETR will be providing updates on the exact time and amount of funding which will be released beyond the three weeks.
- Eligible claimants do not need to apply for this funding; it will be placed in your account or usual payment mechanism.
- Claimants still in the backlog will be eligible to receive the funding if their claim is approved.
- Claimants who received benefits in the LWA weeks and have since returned to work do not need to reactivate their claims.
For more information, click here. |