Pandemic Unemployment Assistance | Arizona Department of Economic Security (2024)

Arizona was the first state in the nation to begin issuing Lost Wages Assistance to eligible claimants. Initial payments were added to the Weekly Benefit Amount starting August 17, and DES began issuing retroactive payments for the benefits weeks ending August 1 and August 8 later that week. All retroactive payments will be completed the week ending August 28.

• Read more about the Lost Wages Assistance Program.

• Read Frequently Asked Questions about the Lost Wages Assistance program.

PUA provides benefits to covered individuals.This includes individuals who:

• are determined to be monetarily ineligible
• have exhausted all rights to such benefits,
• are self-employed,
• are seeking part-time employment,
• lack sufficient work history, or
• otherwise do not qualify for regular unemployment compensation or extended benefits under state or Federal law or PEUC.
  
  • PEUC will be available in Arizona June 6, 2020.

Eligible individuals may continue receiving PUA benefits without returning to work if one of the below criteria (from the CARES Act) applies:

• The individual has been diagnosed with COVID-19 or is experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 and is seeking a medical diagnosis;
• A member of the individual’s household has been diagnosed with COVID-19;
• The individual is providing care for a family member or a member of the individual’s household who has been diagnosed with COVID-19;
• A child or other person in the household for which the individual has primary caregiving responsibility is unable to attend school or another facility that is closed as a direct result of the COVID-19 public health emergency and such school or facility care is required for the individual to work;
• The individual is unable to reach the place of employment because of a quarantine imposed as a direct result of the COVID-19 public health emergency;
• The individual is unable to reach the place of employment because the individual has been advised by a health care provider to self-quarantine due to concerns related to COVID-19;
• The individual was scheduled to commence employment and does not have a job or is unable to reach the job as a direct result of the COVID-19 public health emergency;
• The individual has become the breadwinner or major support for a household because the head of the household has died as a direct result of COVID-19;
• The individual has to quit his or her job as a direct result of COVID-19;
• The individual’s place of employment is closed as a direct result of the COVID-19 public health emergency; and/or
• The individual meets any additional criteria established by the Secretary of Labor. In UIPL 16-20, the Secretary indicated that independent contractors (including gig workers) with a reportable income may also qualify for PUA if he or she is unemployed, partially unemployed, or the COVID-19 public health emergency has severely limited his/her ability to continue performing his/her customary work activities.

For state unemployment insurance, individuals may continue to receive benefits if they have good cause not to return to an employer, which can include pandemic-related situations. This is determined on a case-by-case basis.

Please note that the quickest and easiest way to apply for PUA is online by using the PUA portal. However, if you are unable to apply for PUA benefits online by using the PUA portal, you may complete and submit this paper application. Upon completion, please fax or mail your application to DES. Please note that you will still be required to complete identity verification with DES.

The PUA system access will allow you to update your claim to include basic demographic information and information about your wages and earnings. Your PUA weekly benefit amount is based on your wages paid and/or net income from self-employment earned during your PUA base period, which is the most recent tax year that ended prior to your unemployment that was a direct result of COVID-19. Please be prepared to provide documentation of these wages and/or self-employment. Acceptable documentation can include, but is not limited to:

• Tax Returns, including Schedule C (if completed);
• W2s;
• Copies of paycheck stubs
• 1099s;
• Bank receipts showing deposits
• Business records, including ledgers, invoices or billing notices you provided to your clients or customers, business licenses, business lease agreements and invoices, and advertisem*nts for your business or services.

You do not have to have all of the documents listed above; only those relevant to your work history. Additionally, if you do not have any of the documents listed above, or those documents do not reflect your full income, you may submit copies of other documents that you believe would demonstrate your income. The documents will be evaluated by DES.

Please also be prepared to report any compensation you have received each week since your last day of full-time employment.

As a reminder, the fastest way to receive your PUA benefits will be through direct deposit. You can provide your banking information to register for direct deposit through the PUA system so you can receive your benefits faster. If you do not register for direct deposit, you will receive an Electronic Payment Card through Bank of America and your benefits will be loaded onto that card.

In order to receive payment for PUA benefits, claimants must complete a weekly certification for each week they wish to claim benefits for unemployment.

• Claimants who submitted an initial application for PUA on or after December 27, 2020 can file certifications for each week they were eligible for PUA, but no earlier than benefit week ending December 5, 2020.
• Claimants who submitted an initial application for PUA before December 27, 2020 can file certifications for each week they were eligible for PUA, but no earlier than February 1, 2020.

DES will provide information to the claimant if additional action is required.

How to Submit Work Search Activities for PUA

Learn more about Arizona’s work search requirements on the work search web page.

You may qualify for other benefits such as:

• AHCCCS Medical Assistance;
• Nutrition Assistance; and
• Cash Assistance.

You can apply for one or more of these programs online at www.healthearizonaplus.gov.Find morecontact detailsregarding Nutrition, Cash, and Medical Assistance Benefits.

On March 11, 2021, the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) was signed into law. ARPA extends certain federal unemployment programs including Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC), and Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC). These provisions will bring continued benefits to unemployed Arizonans.

Learn more about ARPA.

On January 28, 2021, the Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES) began mailing 1099-G tax forms to claimants who received unemployment benefits in the state of Arizona in 2020.

Find more information regarding the 1099-G tax forms.