Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation

Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) is a temporary federal program that extends unemployment benefits for individuals who have exhausted their regular state unemployment insurance. Designed during emergencies like COVID-19, PEUC provides additional weeks of financial support to help unemployed workers until they can find new employment. It is an optional program, activated by federal legislation, and generally requires recipients to apply through their state unemployment agency. PEUC ensures that those affected by economic downturns receive continued assistance during periods of high unemployment, supplementing state-level benefits with extra weeks of aid.