COVID-19 and Unemployment Insurance Benefits Arizona Department of Economic Security

NOTE: The CARES Act has changed eligibility and bene t amountsfor Unemployment Insurance.

View information on the CARES Act

Questions and Answers

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DES is committed to ensuring Arizonans get the help they need. The below questions re ect therequirements of the program under current law. However, we are monitoring potential changes in federal and state laws and regulations, which may impact funding, eligibility and requirements for unemployment insurance. If changes are enacted, DES will update its program requirements as soon as possible.

Question: Is it still a requirement to apply for jobs while receiving bene ts?

Answer: No. DES is temporarily suspending the “actively seeking work” requirement. What this means is that for the duration of the emergency declaration an individual will no longer be required tolook for work and apply for other employment while collecting unemployment insurance bene ts.

We encourage individuals to review the guidance provided in the weekly claim system at AZUI.comimmediately adjacent to each required question. Our system has been updated to include speci cexamples of COVID-19 related scenarios impacting claimants.

Question: Has the waiting week/period been removed per the Executive Order?

Answer: Yes. The Department is temporarily suspending the waiting week.

Question: Will workers impacted by COVID-19 qualify for unemployment bene ts?

Answer: Most likely. DES encourages the following individuals impacted by COVID-19 to apply forUnemployment Insurance Bene ts:

• Individuals whose employer has permanently or temporarily ceased or drastically reduced operations due to COVID-19 resulting in a reduction of wages;
• Individuals who, due to requirements that the individual be quarantined, are separated from employment and do not have any available paid leave even if the individual has an expectation of returning to work after the quarantine is over;

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• Individuals who leave employment due to a risk of exposure or infection and are a member of a population that is particularly susceptible to COVID-19;
• Individuals who leave employment to care for a family member who has been infected with COVID-19; or
• Individuals who for any other scenario are separated from work for reasons related to COVID-19.Question: When should individuals impacted by COVID-19 apply for bene ts?Answer: Individuals should apply as soon as they know that their employment and income will bea ected by COVID-19.Question: When will individuals get the additional $600 that was passed by Congress? Do individuals need to do anything di erent with their claims?Answer: These bene ts are paid for by the federal government, and Arizona is waiting for informationon when they will be available. When the funding becomes available, DES will work to pay thebene ts as quickly as possible. Individuals will not have to submit additional paperwork to qualify, it will be applied on top of their existing bene ts.Question: How can individuals apply for unemployment bene ts?Answer: The fastest and easiest way to apply is online www.azui.com anytime between 12:00 a.m. on Sunday through 6:00 p.m. on Friday. Individuals without Internet access should call 1 (877) 600- 2722. Hard copies of the applications are also available in the documents center (UB-105 Arizona Initial Claim for Unemployment Insurance) at www.azdes.gov.An individual can know his or her application is successfully completed when reaching the end of theapplication, certifying the statements made on the application are true, and receiving a con rmationnumber.Question: What information is needed to apply?Answer: When submitting an application for an initial claim, individuals will need to provide their Social Security Number, mailing address, county of residence and, if available, their Driver License or state-issued ID number. In addition, they will need the following information about their employment history:

• The names, addresses, and phone numbers of all employers for the last 18 months including the correct mailing address and telephone number for the most recent employer
• The last day worked immediately prior to ling the UI claim
• Amount (before deductions) and date of any payment for severance, vacation, holiday orunused sick pay
• The name and local number of your union hall, if applicable
• Alien Registration Number, if applicable
• Copy # 4 of DD Form 214 if released from the military in the last 18 months
• SF 8 or SF 50 if employed in Federal Civilian service in the last 18 months
• Start date and monthly bene t amount of any pension (other than Social Security), you willneed the start date of the pension and the monthly bene t amount

Question: What am I eligible to receive if I qualify for bene ts?

Answer: DES can provide individuals who have lost their job through no fault of their own with a weekly stipend of up to $240 to supplement lost income. An additional Pandemic UnemploymentCompensation bene t amount of $600 weekly was authorized by the CARES Act and will be added to bene t payments as soon as possible once the funding becomes available from the federalgovernment.

Question: How long can I receive unemployment bene ts if I qualify?

Answer: The CARES Act allows for up to 39 weeks of bene ts to claimants. Under the regular UI program, claimants are eligible for up to 26 weeks of bene ts. These bene ts can be extended anadditional 13 weeks under the CARES Act. In addition, claimants that are not eligible for the regularUI program or have exhausted their bene ts under that program may be eligible for the PandemicUnemployment Assistance program for up to 39 weeks inclusive of the weeks they received regularUI bene ts.

Question: How long do claims take to process?

Answer: DES is doing everything it can to get Arizonans bene ts as soon as possible. However, DESis experiencing a high number of claims due to COVID-19 and processing times could vary. Additionally, if there are issues with the claim, such as incomplete information, processing the claim could take up to 21 days.

Question: How does an individual receive benefits?

Answer: Direct deposit is available at www.AZUI.com. Applicants may also receive an Electronic Payment Card (EPC) issued by Bank of America (applicants who have received UI within less than 3 years or are currently receiving child support, will not receive a new EPC card). The EPC card willhave a zero balance until the applicants rst bene t payment has been processed.

Question: When can I expect to receive my bene t payment?

Answer: DES is doing everything it can to get Arizonans bene ts as soon as possible. However, DESis experiencing a high number of claims due to COVID-19 and processing times may vary. Additionally, if there are issues with the claim, such as incomplete information, processing the claim may be delayed. Prior to the increased claim volume, payments were being made, on average, within14-calendar days after bene ts have been processed and approved.

Question: If an employer imposes a mandatory quarantine on an employee because ofCOVID-19, will they be eligible for unemployment bene ts?

Answer: In most cases, yes. The factors of each circumstance are important. If the employer requiredthe individual to stay home, did not o er telework, and was not o ering compensation, the individual might be eligible for bene ts if they meet the monetary and weekly eligibility criteria.

Question: What happens after I complete the application process?

Answer: Within approximately one week of ling an initial claim, applicants will receive information from DES in the mail. They must sign and return the Certi cate of Understanding to the address orfax number listed on the form. If DES needs more information to process the claim, the applicant will be mailed an additional questionnaire to complete and send back.

Question: Are there more requirements I need to meet after I apply?

Answer: Yes. To maintain bene ts, applicants, including those impacted by COVID-19 are required to le a weekly claim by visiting our online claims system at www.AZUI.com. The week starts on a Sunday and ends on Saturday. Applicants are encouraged to review the guidance provided in the online claim system by hovering over the question mark icon immediately adjacent to each requiredquestion. Guidance has also been provided to include speci c examples of COVID-19 relatedscenarios impacting claimants.

Applicants are also automatically registered on Arizona’s largest jobs database, Arizona Job Connection (www.AZJobConnection.gov). By completing their registration, applicants can create a digital resume, search for jobs, and get matched with hiring employers.

Question: Where can applicants nd additional information about DES’ unemployment program?

Answer: Additional information about Arizona Unemployment Bene ts can be found by visitingwww.AZUI.com.

Question: Am I eligible for UI bene ts if I am a freelancer, or self-employed?

Answer: Possibly. The CARES Act created a Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program forindividuals that are self-employed, contract workers, those ineligible for state unemployment bene ts or have exhausted bene ts. Arizona is awaiting guidance from the US Department of Labor on the exact eligibility and bene t calculation requirements under this new program. Individuals are encouraged to le their applications now for processing as soon as the additional guidance isprovided to Arizona.

Question: Where can job seekers get help with nding employment?

Answer: ARIZONA@WORK sta can provide you with no-cost job assistance to help you get back towork. You can learn more about the services available to you and view a list of jobs with immediate openings by visiting, www.ARIZONAatWORK.com.

Question: What should applicants do if they make an error on their application?

Answer: If an error is made after a claim is submitted, please call 1 (877) 600-2722. Claims cannot be edited after they are submitted.

Question: What is the process for partial unemployment for people whose hours have beenreduced as a result of COVID-19?

Answer: If your wages have been reduced as a result of COVID-19, you may le for bene ts atwww.AZUI.com. Depending on your individual circumstance and the amount of gross wages (wagesearned before taxes/deductions) you have earned, you may be eligible for bene ts. As is the case with all Unemployment Insurance claims, applicants are required to le weekly claims con rming theycontinue to meet the requirements to receive Unemployment Insurance. This includes an opportunityto report earned wages (this also includes wages earned for part time work). Applicants must le aclaim every week he or she is unemployed, or underemployed, by visiting our online claims system atwww.AZUI.com. The bene t week starts on a Sunday and ends on Saturday.

Question: What should people do who applied prior to the Executive Order?

Answer: If an individual was denied because they did not meet the eligibility requirements, they will receive a Determination of Deputy in the mail. However, if the individual believes they are eligible or disagrees with the determination, they should contact the call center at 1 (877) 600-2722, for assistance with their claim. A redetermination will be considered using new information and the most up to date eligibility criteria. If the reconsideration is denied and the claimant disagrees with theDetermination of Deputy, they may le an appeal within 15 calendar days from the date the original determination was mailed. An appeal may be led by telephone, in writing, or by going online at,https://uiappeals.azdes.gov/.

Question: Is there a COVID-19 identi er on the application?

Answer: Yes, the Department has added a COVID-19 identi er to the application process.

Question: What should people do that have tried to submit a claim and received an error message, but when they tried to reapply they were told their SSN was already being used onanother claim or had some other problem with their application?
Answer: Please call 1 (877) 600-2722 for assistance with your claim. If the issue requires further in- tervention, the call center agent you speak with will elevate the issue on your behalf.

View additional information about the CARES Act – Unemployment Insurance Bene ts here. View step-by-step guidance on how to apply for Unemployment Insurance Bene ts here.