Minnesota To Extend Unemployment Insurance

TWIN CITIES, MN — The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development announced Wednesday that the agency has fully implemented the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation.

PEUC provides a 13 week extension of unemployment benefits for eligible applications. The measure was authorized by Congress in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), which was signed into law on March 27.


Don't miss the latest coronavirus updates from health and government officials in Minnesota. Sign up for Patch news alerts and newsletters for what you need to know daily.


"This is the second of three CARES Act programs which DEED has quickly implemented to help those most in need during the COVID-19 crisis," said Commissioner Steve Grove in a statement.

"Approximately 8,000 people have exhausted or will soon exhaust their Minnesota unemployment insurance benefits. With PEUC fully implemented, those individuals will now be eligible for an additional 13 weeks of unemployment insurance in addition to the $600 additional compensation payments we implemented last week."

Individuals who have exhausted their unemployment benefits and believe they are eligible for extended benefits under the PEUC should login to their online account at uimn.org for additional details.

The final component of the CARES Act to be implemented is the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program, which will provide unemployment benefits to self-employed individuals, independent contractors, gig workers and others who would not normally be eligible for unemployment benefits.

DEED expects to have PUA fully operational by the end of April, but is actively encouraging those who think they are eligible for these benefits to apply online now.

This article originally appeared on the Mendota Heights Patch