Unemployed due to coronavirus in SC? Federal funds are here to help, if you’re eligible
Since the major congressional relief package known as the CARES Act passed in late March, it was unclear when funds allocated to increase South Carolina unemployment benefits would even arrive.
Now over two weeks later, some of that funding has begun flowing to unemployed state residents, and other resources are slated to arrive in the next few weeks, according to S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce (SCDEW).
One of the signature actions of CARES was how Congress would add $600 to every unemployment benefit-receiving American, on top of the check they would already get from their state, to July. South Carolina’s maximum weekly benefit is $326, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, so the federal money would be added to that amount.
The spigot for the program turned on in South Carolina: SCDEW paid $53 million of federal funds on Sunday to state residents on unemployment benefits, according to the agency. That is on top of the $10 million the agency itself paid in its regular benefits, they said.
In the past four weeks, the agency said it has processed 266,000 initial claims.
If I’m self-employed, where are my benefits?
Self-employed individuals or freelancers in South Carolina have been ineligible for benefits as has been state policy, until the CARES Act went into effect.
CARES expands the eligibility pool by providing a dedicated source of funding through SCDEW for these individuals.
SCDEW estimates that it will be ready to accept claims for those workers using the program called Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), no later than April 25, according to the agency.
The agency says those previously ineligible for benefits who now could be eligible under PUA include self-employed workers, church employees, nonprofit and governmental workers, independent contractors, and gig economy workers.
Lastly, those in South Carolina who have exhausted their benefits, which are typically capped at 20 weeks, can get an extension of 13 weeks. The state said it will be able to process those claims and match them with federal money from CARES “in the coming weeks.”
