Where is My $600 Weekly Unemployment Stimulus Check and Getting it With PUA and PEUC to the end of 2020

Many unemployed Americans are now seeing unemployment stimulus checks coming through on a more regular basis, despite the widespread claim processing and payment issues. Large states like California, Texas, Florida and New York are leading the way with payments being caught up for past weeks where recipients were eligible. Further, all states have now also upgraded their systems and processes to also process claims and eligibility checking for unemployed workers who qualify for extended benefits under the PUA and PEUC programs.

The large $600 FPUC payment is set to expire at the end of July 2020, unless extended. But the payment, along with retroactive payments is now being made on a weekly or bi-weekly schedule for unemployment workers who certify correctly in line with state requirements; and there are several new certification steps with the enhanced unemployment programs.

All that being said, it is also clear that thousands, if not millions of Americans, like freelancers or contract workers who would not have qualified for state unemployment benefits in the past but who do now under the CARES enhanced unemployment provisions (specifically the PUA program) are still struggling to submit claims and even talk to a real person at their state unemployment agency. I will try and post additional articles to help with this – like this one around payment schedules or different timelines for the new UI programs – but patience and perseverance are right now your best options to get your eligible claims processed.

CA EDD claim screen for a reader showing extra $600 unemployment claims payment (Reddit)

[Update May 2020] Most states have now updated their systems to handle the new $600 unemployment stimulus payment (FPUC program) and 13 week regular unemployment payment extension (PEUC program). However there have been several issues with applying and getting paid for the new unemployment stimulus provisions.

Note – Under current rules if you stop certifying for continued unemployment benefits, even for one week, your Unemployment Insurance (UI) claim becomes inactive. You must reopen your claim to request benefit payments. You can generally reopen your claim if it was filed within the last 52 weeks. If your benefit year has ended, you must file a new claim.


The error below is symptomatic of what many Americans are seeing on their state’s unemployment insurance website when filing a claim for new, extended or additional payments under new UI stimulus provisions.

As of 2:30 today the [insert your state’s UI] system is experiencing slowness. Our IT team is making adjustments to restore the system to full capacity. We apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate your patience while we work to resolve these issues.

This is the number one reason state UI websites are down. It’s due to the massive rise in claim filings that are 100x normal in some states. All this due to the Coronavirus induced economic shutdown. Other reasons are the new provisions that extend benefits for 13 weeks and provide an additional $600 to the maximum payout until July 2020.

Calling the state UI number to file your UI benefits claim is not much better with many Americans reporting hours of on-hold time (and some outright hang ups). This is what is on the N.Y. unemployment insurance benefits website confirming this and their approach to manage the massive influx of new claimants. This will likely be followed in other states.

Please do NOT call our unemployment hotline with questions about extended benefits — this helps us keep our phone lines available for your fellow New Yorkers who need to file new claims. Thank you for your understanding and patience.

If you are filing a new unemployment insurance claim, the day you should file is based on the first letter of your last name. If your last name starts with A – F, file your claim on Monday. For last names starting with G – N, file your claim on Tuesday. For last names starting with O – Z, file your claim on Wednesday. If you missed your filing day, file your claim on Thursday, Friday or Saturday. Filing later in the week will not delay your payments or affect the date of your claim, since all claims are effective on the Monday of the week in which they are filed.

Feel free to share your story or any tips to file your claim faster.

Here are some other frequently asked questions that I am seeing on this topic.

Question – I just finally received my instructions on how to certify my weekly hours for PARTIAL unemployment insurance (UI) 2 weeks after applying. Will people who are filing or already on PARTIAL unemployment receive the full $600 a week on top of state unemployment insurance? Or will the $600 only be applied if you’re collecting/filed for FULL unemployment insurance benefits?

Answer – Honestly the answer is still up in the air as the DOL has not released detailed guidelines to the states yet. That’s probably why you cannot find an answer. My guess based on what I am seeing is that the extra stimulus will be proportionate to your partial employment payment (likely) or if it is applied as liberally as stated in the CARES act then everyone on UI will get the full $600 payment. I’ll update this post as I soon as I get confirmation.

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75 thoughts on “Where is My $600 Weekly Unemployment Stimulus Check and Getting it With PUA and PEUC to the end of 2020”

  1. My unemployment ran out on March 14 and I got the extension and didn’t know all summer so I just certified and received the state payment for 6 weeks will I still get the 600 to?

    Reply
  2. Hi I filed my claim in June. Is there any way that I can File my back weeks and get paid the lump sums everyone else is getting? Or did I miss it up? I also reopened my claim last week to try to see if I could file back weeks. and didnt get paid.

    Reply
  3. Hello;I Applied for the 600 Weekly checks on july23’2020. They Sent an email saying your Application has been processed. Will i get the payments and all the back pay going back to march. Thanks.

    Reply
    • You should, as you were accepted before the program ended, but go on the website and see if you have those back dated weeks to claim, that should give you an answer.

      Reply
  4. I filed for unemployment about 3 weeks ago and I haven’t got anything yet and I never found if I got fired or laid off and I have called, text and email him several times and I even got a new email and did it from there and it’s been at least 3-4 months and I also called the temporary service that I worked for and still no answer.

    Reply
    • Hello,

      Thank you for sharing this information. Can I ask how many days before you received the response!”?

      Thank you!

      Reply
    • At this point keep doing your due diligence, I know first hand what your experience, but I kept putting in the work as if my life depended on it.

      Reply
  5. So I applied on 3/23, it is now 6/23 and have only got paperwork in the mail asking for more information for regular unemployment and a letter that I received last week 6/19 about being approved for 503$ for PUA. But have not received a single dime from either nor have I been emailed or called. But I keep doing my weekly certification till we go back to work.

    Reply
    • Yes, just keep certifing every week, and they will have to pay you every dime, I read a story today about a woman who received all 23 weeks at one time totalling $11,000. So hang in there

      Reply
  6. Hi. I filled on 5/17/2020 but stopped working since 3/20/2020 do to covid-19. Recently I had recieved my direct deposit but only for the last two weeks that I had certified recently. Will I ever recieve money for all the weeks I wasn’t working? Thanks

    Reply
    • Check your system log, cause you might have unclaimed weeks, but usually only from the date they approve you, did you file when you were first laid off?

      Reply
  7. I live in N.J. and will be going back to work June 22, 2020 .
    I have been receiving unemployment and $600 CARES.
    Will I still receive 2 retroactive $600 payments from the first two
    weeks of April that I did not get, and qualify for, after I go back
    to work and stop certifying for regular unemployment?

    Reply
  8. I live in Georgia received 3 weeks on go card thru 4-18-20. My employer is filing for me but haven’t received anything since. I was furloughed because I’m 66. So why so long?

    Reply
    • there are over thirty million claimants and rising so only thing you can do is be patient and keep doing your due diligence. It will pay off.

      Reply
  9. I was laid off and filled for unemployment last september and was denied due to medical reasons, I was released to go back to work in january,been looking for work since, with no luck, so when this whole covid thing hit I new I would not find a job and reopened my case april 5th 2020, will I still qualify for the additional $600 a week or am I screwed out of that cause it was not a new claim? Any answers would help. 2 mths later I finally got a payment for the 7 weeks I had been filing but it was my regular amount no extra 600. I’m in NV

    Reply
    • Unfortunately not because you were not laid off, furloughed, fired or forced to stop working due to covid-19

      Reply
  10. I’m in eligible to get a payment due to owing unemployment overpaid benefits from 10 years ago. I was laid off on March 13 due to Covid 19 and filed my claim immediately. Since my payments go to my unpaid balance I recieve NOTHING. I recieved the $600 payment for 5 weeks but nothing since then. I haven’t missed any weeks to claim and my balance owed has still gone down. So they have no problem taking my lousy $230 a week. I’m so afraid they took the $600 away from me and I won’t be able to pay my rent or any Bill’s. I live in NJ if anyone has information on this I would be grateful. NJ unemployment website is extremely outdated. Getting in contact with anyone regarding what’s going on is impossible! Please help

    Reply
  11. I filed in New Jersey on March 16th. I started receiving payments in April my weekly payment is $159 I did receive four weeks of the 600. I went to clean two weeks ago it said claim is not payable then went to do it again the next week and I got paid for 2 weeks. Tried to claim again today and it said my claim was already processed. I did not receive the $600 this week, last week, and now it’s saying that I’ve already been processed for this week. I just don’t understand why one week everything is fine the next week my claim is unpayable. there is no way to get ahold of anyone I’ve called over 50 times a day from two separate phones. What’s going on?

    Reply
  12. I have received my pua and regular unemployment payments for the last few weeks but this week I didn’t get the $600 but I received my regular $190 what does this mean ?

    Reply
    • It means your state is behind in processing the extra $600 payments. They should get caught up soon. See my recent article (search home page or menu above) on retroactive $600 payments

      Reply
    • You can thank the Dem States for forcing the Fed Govt to have them handle the PUA. That should have been done by the Fed Govt NOT the States which is why it is messed up.

      Reply
  13. I filled on March 19th, was approved and sent claim forms and was disqualified for the first 2 weeks and now have not received anything else or anything from EDD, and still have not received my benefits.

    Reply
  14. I applied March 31st in NY on online. I got a letter of Monetary Determination April 27th.
    I still haven’t got any money yet. Its been a month. I don’t know whats going on :( I call everyday but I’ve never got to talk to anybody. How long should i wait or what can I do if they don’t update??

    Reply
    • often people don’t realize that they have weeks to claim on their website, and if they don’t follow them within a timely manner they lose them maybe you can check and see if you miss the deadline for weeks to claim and then you might have an answer.

      Reply
  15. I filed on April 20th still waiting for a call back.. The recording now says that they will call us we dont need to call them.. just wondering how much longer..

    Reply
  16. I received my award letter from unemployment in two weeks and recertified my first two weeks did not take that long i am from california but my stepdad and myself both recertified our claim to be paid for the first two weeks the same day he got his recertification approved the following day with the money on his account but still no debit card i in the other hand still have my paymen claim pending so not sure how his went through right away and mines did not

    Reply
    • If you opt in for the way to go card and did not receive it it be best if you go back on to the website and put it in your bank information and you can start receiving your money that way in the meantime call the way to go card number and if there is any funds on there you can ask them to expedite the car to you for fee and receive your funds that way

      Reply
  17. My status for COVID unemployment has been pending resolution in NC for over 3 weeks! I was a substitute teacher and worked nearly full-time and am certainly eligible. I also have an online business that has not earned me any income. It can not operate now anyway because the factories are closed. I can not reach anyone at the unemployment call center and they hang up on you. What can I do? I have zero $ to live on!!!

    Reply
  18. Hello, there is still nothing on new jersey dol site about 13 week ext, I’m tired of seeing the same “we are awaiting guidance from federal government”. The federal gov doesn’t decide if you get an extension. The money was given to new jersey to help the unemployed.

    I’m very scared I run out in two weeks, this should have been addressed. All the answers here said the next would be given,as well as the enhanced benefit was that the wrong answer?

    Reply
    • On the NJ unemployment site it says you don’t need to do anything to file the extension. They are supposed to be doing it automatically. There is questions and answers about filing extensions on the site where you claim weekly.

      Reply
  19. I am legally getting my UI. $18.00 a week. And having taxes taken out. I been with the company 12years. Part of the year I work lots of hours. Then only 12 hours a week. So I can get unemployment

    Reply
  20. But will they let you reapply for extension if you still have two weeks left?, At same time if you wait till it’s out completely, then will the extenstion ever be given?

    Reply
    • I need to know that answer as well. I am out in 2 weeks and I have not received the 600 since May 27 and it was 540 not 600. I guess they took out taxes and then I never got another federal check . I just received my 83 x 2 = 166 for unemployment this week Still NO federal . I hope I can get a extension on reemployment assistance. I am assuming you have to run out before you get a option in the DEO in Fla? Praying for 600 and a extension option!!!

      Reply
  21. Hello, my girlfriend and I both did the unemployment the same day the same time. We did everything the same, yet I received mine, and it shows the amount payable and weekly, and hers says pending status. Why did mine go through first and hers is waiting? We filed on the 16th of March. Thanks

    Reply
  22. My son who lives in Las Vegas was laid off effective March 16th and applied for unemployment and so far received $153.00 and then it stopped with no explanation…he’s very upset and besides that not getting his stimulus money either…wondering why it’s such a mess and it’s not his fault and should he and everyone else have to suffer because the system is so old and out dated it cannot handle this volume of applications and this does not pay the bills o rbuy gas and food.

    Reply
  23. I’m in the same boat and have been waiting 5 or 6 weeks now. I’ve also seen many people saying the same thing so I think they’re just so backed up and that’s why nobody has gotten their money. It definitely sucks but I’m hoping when the extra $600 goes through then everybody will also get their original unemployment payments

    Reply
  24. Two weeks ago i finally got thru to someone and they said i would get a partial one week starting today… i went into my claim, (i already had received the monary letter) and it is now saying that no claim has been filed and had to do a mother claim which pushes it back another few weeks ..I cannot get hold of anyone ….omg

    Reply
  25. I applied for UI benifits March 8th I never received a email I never got a pin or mail nothing. It’s so frustrating because there system is so obsolete all I got when filing was a number at the end of filing that states a confirmation. But how can that be Confirmed if you never get anything after that I’m going on six weeks. I tried calling daily it won’t allow me to connect to anyone. I don’t even know what’s going on.

    Reply
  26. I was laid off work today, 4/15/20. I am an outside vendor for physical education with schools. Schools closed and business went south. I was the last one being paid by the company. I am in Illinois. When I file for unemployment it shows a weekly benefit amount. Will I get that amount plus $600.00 weekly?

    Reply
  27. Hello, I was laid off of work due to Covid-19. I applied for benefits on March 21st I got the key bank card and my approval letter, but still no payment yet. Tried to call the number and just keep getting hung on. Just wondering when I can receive my benefits.

    Reply
    • I was also laid off same day. Filed on Monday 23. Have received card, award letter, completed CalJobs everything and yet as of 4/17 nothing.

      Reply
  28. I reopen my unemployment on line on March 20,20 so far I have only received a notice of unemployment insurance claim filed letter. I’ve been checking my UI notification but it only has reopen. Im not sure if I have to redo it again? Since I did receive insurance claim filed, but I haven’t been able to certify for benefits for the past 3 weeks. I’ve tried to call with no luck for the past 12 day. I have also used the contact us and send them a message which I have gotten a response either. What should I do ?

    Reply
  29. Hi, I applied for the unemployment benefit in late March. and it’s now been two weeks already. These two weeks in my claimed history showed no payment. is this situation normal? and another thing is that there are some items in the categoria of determination of eligibility, and they always show the status is pending. Do I need to respond to them? I really don’t have any idea what to respond to them.

    Reply
  30. I have applied for unemployment this is my 3 week still nonpayment got a letter telling me how much I would get each week and when I try to call to speak to someone can’t get through been calling for two weeks now whats going on

    Reply
  31. Applied for (PA) Unemployment on the 20th of March after being told I would not be returning to work anytime soon due to Covid-19. I have not received a pin in the mail, nor can I reach the office to speak with anyone. I am unable to file bi-weekly because I do not have a pin yet and I am worried if I keep applying, it is going to push my application out. Should I keep applying or wait for the pin?

    Reply
    • State UI agencies are so backed up now it’s crazy. Keep calling in to see if you can get someone- but if your application was successful don’t keep reapplying. Just wait for PiN

      Reply
    • Keep doing your weekly claims because once everything gets caught up, you will receive all of your claim’s money at once.

      Reply
  32. Hello. I applied for unemployment March 20th and have been claiming my weekly benefits since then. I still have no received anything in the mail regarding my unemployment application and when I go online to check the status, it says it has not been processed yet. How long should I wait for this to go through? Thank you.

    Reply
  33. I went on to apply for UI I am currently self employed, it came back monetarily ineligible, will this change? I also went on there to submit my 2019 taxes but It did not allow me to do so. Will someone contact me?

    Reply
  34. I applied for unemployment benefits on March 20th. Within a week I received a letter saying that I was approved however, today is April 6th and I still haven’t gotten any payments nor have they contacted me. Am I waiting for something that I just don’t know about?

    Reply
    • I’m in the same boat and have been waiting 5 or 6 weeks now. I’ve also seen many people saying the same thing so I think they’re just so backed up and that’s why nobody has gotten their money. It definitely sucks but I’m hoping when the extra $600 goes through then everybody will also get their original unemployment payments

      Reply
  35. I am off work because of the corona virus, but my employer is paying me. But I also are collecting unemployment. Will I Get the $600.00 ?

    Reply
    • If you are still getting paid then you really are not eligible for UI. Be carful as could create issues for you come tax time next year

      Reply
      • I am legally getting my UI. $18.00 a week. And having taxes taken out. I been with the company 12years. Part of the year I work lots of hours. Then only 12 hours a week. So I can get unemployment

        Reply
    • why are you collecting unemployment if you are getting paid by your employer? are you getting full time pay? are you abusing the system? maybe you are one of the reasons why people who really needs it does not get it…

      Reply
  36. Hello, does the new stimulus package for the additional $600 per week added to the max $450 per week making the new max unemployment benefit at $1,025 per week? In California?

    Reply
    • Yes. For next 4 months at least. Millions of Americans will have a federal stimulus payment directly deposited in their bank account by April 15, the Treasury Department says. But some people without direct deposit information may not get checks until mid-August or later, according to the AP

      Reply
  37. I have received my weekly unimployment benefit but not the extra 600. I was layed off 3/15/2020 who will be sending this extra. Does it come straight to my direct deposit or thru some othr source

    Reply
  38. It really depends on your states systems. More advanced ones will automatically extend your benefits for 13 weeks under new laws in addition to the $600 stimulus payment through July 2020. But older systems may require to go back in and reactivate your benefits. State UI systems are still being updated with new federal stimulus rules, so hang in there for some clearer guidance

    Reply
  39. Unfortunately my benefits ended March 3rd in the midst of our National Emergency. I still have access to the UI site with my pin, but there is no communication of an extension to be filed? Furthermore, I called and they know nothing of an extension? I have no income whatsoever…Please help

    I am eligible?

    Reply
    • We’re you able to get more information on Extension ? I am having the same problem … I exhausted my benefits recently and I am not sure if I am somehow supposed to reapply because my claim is still showing as active but don’t see any option for extension.

      Reply
      • Extension and additional UI will be automatically applied. But still not available in all states due to processing issues

        Reply
        • How is the extra 600 disbursed? Will it be put on my keybank unemployment card automatically after i certify..will it be put with my regular pay

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