DES Distributes $519M In Unemployment Insurance Payments, Hits Snags

PHOENIX – The system continues to hit snags but despite hem on Monday the Arizona Department of Economic Security announced it issued $519 million in state unemployment insurance and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance payments last week.

Yesterday, PUA applicants filed weekly certifications that will result in payments of $95 million throughout the course of this week. This number is expected to grow as additional claimants file their certifications.

An additional $95.5 million was issued to state unemployment insurance claimants on Monday.

Payments follow the launch of the PUA program, with 77,063 claims filed last week.

Approximately 165,000 people were mailed a paper check on May 11, 2020, for three weeks of the minimum benefit amount and the additional $600 in Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC). These checks were issued to individuals who applied between February 2 and May 2, were not eligible for regular Unemployment Insurance (UI), and were instead eligible for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA).