At times, New Mexico will join programs that offer additional benefits to unemployed workers who have exhausted their regular New Mexico unemployment benefits during an economic slump.
These programs are usually triggered when the state’s unemployment rate reaches a certain point or during natural disasters.
Are Extended Benefits currently available in New Mexico?
New Mexico does not currently offer Extended Benefits. When you apply for unemployment benefits in New Mexico, you will be eligible for 26 weeks of benefits. You can use the New Mexico unemployment calculator to estimate your weekly benefit amount and the duration that you are eligible for UI benefits.
New Mexico Extended Benefit (EB) Program
Extended Benefits programs are funded by the federal government and provide extra unemployment benefits to claimants who have already gone through their regular UI benefits during the benefit year. This program is available when a state is experiencing high rates of unemployment or during extenuating economic downturns.
The Extended Benefits program offers 13 weeks of unemployment benefits on top of the regular unemployment benefits offered by each state. The threshold for New Mexico to offer extended benefits varies, and is determined by the New Mexico government based on the state’s unemployment rate.
New Mexico looks at the unemployment rate over a specific period and compares it to the average rate from the same time period in the previous two years. If the current rate is higher than both of the previous years’ rates, then the Extended Benefits program may be triggered. However, the specific threshold percentage can change depending on the state’s economic situation and other factors, so it is best to check with the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions for the most up-to-date information.
New Mexico Disaster Unemployment Assistance
The Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) program in New Mexico is a federal program that provides financial assistance to people who have lost their jobs or are unable to work due to a major disaster, such as an earthquake or wildfire. The DUA program is intended to help people who are not eligible for regular unemployment insurance benefits, such as self-employed individuals, independent contractors, and farmers, among others.
To be eligible for DUA in New Mexico, each worker must meet certain criteria, including being out of work or unable to work as a direct result of the disaster, not being eligible for regular unemployment insurance benefits, and having worked or been scheduled to work in the disaster-affected area.
CARES Act and American Rescue Plan
The CARES Act and American Rescue Plan were federal laws passed by the United States government in response to the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act was passed in March 2020, while the American Rescue Plan was passed in March 2021. These laws provided economic relief to individuals and businesses affected by the pandemic, as well as to state and local governments.
New Mexico received significant aid through both the CARES Act and American Rescue Plan. The state received approximately $1.25 billion in funding from the CARES Act, which was used to support small businesses, provided direct payments to individuals, and expanded unemployment insurance benefits, among other initiatives. The American Rescue Plan provided even more aid, with the state receiving approximately $1.6 billion in funding. This funding was used to support vaccine distribution efforts, provide economic relief to individuals and businesses, and invest in infrastructure and education initiatives, among other priorities.
The aid provided through these laws has been critical in helping New Mexico respond to the economic challenges posed by the pandemic and supporting the state’s recovery efforts.
Federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance
The Federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (FPUA) program was implemented in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to provide financial assistance to individuals who lost their jobs or were unable to work due to the pandemic.
The program expanded eligibility for unemployment benefits to include New Mexico residents who were not typically covered by traditional state unemployment insurance programs, such as self-employed workers, independent contractors, and gig workers.
The program provided weekly financial assistance to eligible individuals, which included a base amount plus an additional amount provided through the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) program.
Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation
In New Mexico, the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) program provided financial assistance to individuals who exhausted their regular state unemployment benefits due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The program provided up to 24 weeks of additional unemployment benefits to eligible individuals in New Mexico, with the exact amount and duration varying based on the individual’s prior earnings and other factors.
To be eligible for PEUC in New Mexico, individuals had to have exhausted their regular state unemployment benefits and remain unemployed due to the pandemic.
Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation
The Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) program was a temporary federal initiative implemented in New Mexico in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The program provided an additional $600 per week in unemployment benefits to eligible individuals who lost their jobs due to the pandemic. This extra money was in addition to the regular unemployment benefits paid out by the state. The program was authorized under the CARES Act, and was designed to help individuals who were facing financial hardship as a direct result of the pandemic.
Mixed Earnings Unemployment Compensation
The Mixed Earnings Unemployment Compensation (MEUC) program was a federal program that was implemented as part of the CARES Act. This program was designed to provide additional financial support to individuals who were receiving unemployment benefits but also had income from self-employment or gig work.
Under the MEUC program in New Mexico, individuals who were receiving regular state unemployment benefits and also had earnings from gig work or self-employment could be eligible for an additional $100 per week in unemployment benefits.
To qualify for the MEUC program, individuals had to have earned at least $5,000 in self-employment income or wages from gig work during their base period.
These benefit programs, as well as New Mexico’s participation in them, expired in September 2021.
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