New DOL Jobless Aid Memo Pegs Relief Act Rollout at Six Weeks

State unemployment agencies might need up to six weeks to reassess some jobless aid recipients and get their benefits flowing through the appropriate federal program under the Biden administration’s recently enacted $1.9 trillion federal relief legislation, the U.S. Labor Department said in a new guidance letter.

At the same time, the Labor Department reminded states in the letter Tuesday of their obligations to follow procedures for preventing payment of fraudulent unemployment claims, recover overpayments, verify the identities of benefit claimants, and make timely benefit payments to the extent possible.

States have struggled to prevent fraud while still making timely payments ...