The Colorado Department of Labor & Employment announced effective Monday, April 20, it will be taking unemployment benefit applications under the CARES Act (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act), paying the additional $600 per week in unemployment benefits and launch other new points of access for unemployed workers to obtain information. This includes gig workers, independent contractors, self employed and those who are out of work because of a number of reasons directly related to COVID-19 including caring for a child whose school is closed or someone who tested positive for COVID-19.
Apply under the CARES Act here: https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdle/unemployment
There are several provisions within the CARES Act that provide enhanced or extended unemployment benefits for workers. All of these new benefits are paid for by the federal government and eligible claims will be backdated so claimants will not lose out on benefits due to the waiting period to submit an application (see below).
New claims that fall under one of the new allowed situations for unemployment under the CARES Act will be taken through a new system. Claimants will submit claims, manage their benefits and request payment through this new online system.
Regular unemployment benefits will continue to be processed through the existing systems so anyone currently on unemployment does not need to take any action.
The CARES Act also provides an additional $600 of unemployment benefits per week on top of a claimant’s weekly unemployment benefit. This additional benefit, known as Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation or FPUC, does not require a claimant to take any action, is retroactive to March 29th and will begin hitting active claimants accounts as soon as next week for weeks of unemployment prior to April 15.
The Department also announced a new call center to take these new claims and a Virtual Town Hall to answer claimant questions.
A new 80-person remote call center will go live Monday, April 20, to help manage claimant questions and overflow from the existing call center by addressing questions directly related to CARES Act benefits.
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