CNMI Department of Labor Provides PUA Update
The Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (“PUA”) and Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (“FPUC”) programs are intended to support workers whose employment was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Department has received a total of 39,220 unique claims, inclusive of non-jurisdictional and fraudulent claims during the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), Continued Assistance for Unemployed Workers Act (CAA) and the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) pandemic assistance periods. Of these unique claims, 10,378 were deemed eligible and 26,243 were deemed ineligible for benefits based on the guidance and applicable laws provided to the Department by the US Department of Labor. As of September 15, 2021, there are a total of 2,599 pending claims.