Unemployment benefits extended 13 weeks

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The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) announced that additional unemployment insurance (UI) benefits will be available to unemployed Minnesotans who have exhausted both regular UI and Federal Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) benefits.

These benefits become available to those who are paid the last of their EUC benefits for the week ending April 4 or later, and are still unemployed. The program provides up to 13 extra weeks of benefits to those who are still seeking work.

“With this extension, unemployed Minnesotans could be eligible for up to 72 weeks of Unemployment Insurance benefits,” said DEED Commissioner Dan McElroy. “This provides additional security to people and families affected by unemployment.”

To qualify for extended UI benefits, applicants must expand their job search to include work outside their normal occupation, and accept work offered that they are able to perform.

DEED will identify and mail information to potentially eligible individuals as they get close to exhausting their EUC benefits. The first letters were mailed this week.

For more information, check the “What’s New” section of www.uimn.org, e-mail ui.mn@state.mn.us or call (651) 296-3644; toll free: 1-877-898-9090 (TTY for the hearing impaired: 1-866-814-1252).

Tags: news, unemployment, benefits