NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — The state will soon stop paying an additional $600 per week to unemployed Tennesseans unless the federal government extends those provisions as part of the CARES Act.
The Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development said Monday that federal compensation funds would end on July 31. However, eligible recipients can still get state unemployment benefits that do not include the additional $600 payment.
The weekly payments from the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program were put in place when Congress passed the CARES Act back in March.
"I was self-employed and pretty much we had the tornado come in and then on top of that the COVID; and that pretty much ruined everything," said Kyle Moland.
Moland like many others found himself falling on hard times. He quickly found himself needing to rely on state services in order to pay bills.
He was a rideshare driver filed for unemployment benefits with the state back in March. Since then, he’s now without a car and hasn’t seen a dime of benefits.
"It’s just a waiting game, the extra 600 comes on it automatically. It’s just actually getting the disbursements, the payouts," said Moland, "A lot of people are out here just kind of floating in the wind, trying to figure out which way to go."
The CARES Act requires states to provide FPUC through July 31, which is a Friday. Because Tennessee ends its benefit week on Saturdays, federal law says the state can’t pay the $600 for that week.
People like Moland, with eligible pending claims and completed all weekly certifications before July 25 will retroactively receive their state and federal payments.
Moland is asking the governor to do more to help the unemployed; and he just hopes there’s enough money left before it’s finally his turn to receive his payments.
Additional unemployment programs outlined in the CARES Act -- Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation will continue through December 26, the last Saturday of that month.
