Federal Pandemic Unemployment benefits restart in South Carolina

(The Center Square) – More than $10 million in Federal Pandemic Unemployment benefits are on their way to eligible unemployed South Carolinians as the Department of Employment and Workforce (SCDEW) distributed the first round of renewed federal supplemental benefits Monday.

Claimants eligible to receive at least $1 of an unemployment program will receive an additional $300 weekly benefit funded by the federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program, beginning with the claim week ending Jan. 2.

“We are extremely excited to begin paying these important funds without interruption to continuing claimants with eligible weeks,” SCDEW Executive Director Dan Ellzey said. “There is still a great deal of work to be done to study and implement these complex programs, but we are happy to begin the process and support South Carolinians during this difficult time.”

Congress passed legislation renewing expiring unemployment benefit programs last month, and President Donald Trump signed the Continued Assistance Act of 2020 into law Dec. 27.

The state was unable to distribute funds until the U.S. Department of Labor issued guidance on the program and funds were made available to the state.

The SCDEW began receiving initial guidance for program implementation Friday, and funds were made available to make benefits payments to South Carolinians over the weekend. The department began issuing payments Monday.

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