HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — Guam saw biweekly Pandemic Unemployment Assistance claims decrease to $10.7 million during the two weeks since the Aug. 1 start of the job search requirement, Guam Department of Labor Director David Dell’Isola said on Tuesday.
That’s about half of the $20 million in PUA claims the Guam Department of Labor batched every two weeks last year.
The decrease followed the requirement that unemployed claimants show they are looking for jobs.
PUA claims are batched every other Tuesday, and the payments usually reach claimants a week later.
The amount started declining to about $17 million this year, and as low as $14.8 million in July, as more jobs reopened and as work hours returned to normal for more workers.
But claims fell to their lowest amount so far — $10.7 million — when claimants were required to state they are looking for a job every week. Three job searches are required every week in order to continue claiming PUA.
“The two weeks covered with this batch that included the work search requirement has obviously caused a reduction in filings,” Dell’Isola said.
He acknowledged that some may be having difficulties in uploading the information.
“I encourage those having issues to go to dol.guam.gov to watch the step-by-step video tutorial on how to properly enter information on the three job searches needed to qualify for benefits,” he said. “For further assistance, claimants can also call 311 or head over to the Dededo Library.”
The $10.7 million, inclusive of $923,000 in withholding taxes, is broken down as follows:
$5.2 million in PUA;
$5.4 million in Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation;
About $30,000 in Lost Wages Assistance.
$784M processed since 2020
All these amounts bring to about $784 million the total federal unemployment benefits processed or paid out to Guam workers since last year.
The U.S. Department of Labor authorized $1.065 billion for Guam’s PUA and Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation. A portion of that goes to administrative costs, including the hiring of PUA personnel.
The PUA claims batched this week should reach workers by next week, but recipients are reminded that there is a time frame in disbursing unemployment assistance. Each batch must be reconciled and audited for accuracy, the Guam Department of Labor said.
There are only 19 days left before PUA coverage ends on Sept. 4, but new claimants have until Oct. 4 to file their claims.
At its peak, Guam paid PUA claims to some 28,000 workers who were laid off or furloughed, or who experienced work-hour cuts as a direct result of the pandemic. PUA and FPUC, as well as Lost Wages Assistance, became important lifelines that kept thousands of families from hunger, homelessness and further financial ruin.
Exemptions
The work search requirement is for those who are completely unemployed or have been furloughed for four weeks or more, GDOL said.
Reduced hour employees should enter their earnings as usual, and may answer “no” to the questions regarding work search, the department said.
Self-employed individuals should also answer “no” to the work search questions and then finish up their weekly certifications as usual.
“Unfortunately, they may be required to call in to GDOL to have the weeks manually authorized for payment. GDOL understands there may be many claimants affected,” GDOL said.
To address the issue, GDOL has dedicated a team to go through and fix as many self-employed claims as possible.
“Please check your dashboard to see if your claim has been cleared. If not, please call 311 for assistance to have it corrected immediately,” GDOL said.
A long line of people wait to enter the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Center at Guam Community College in Mangilao on July 29, 2020.
