Unemployment Insurance

This page will be updated as more information becomes available.

Congress has passed several rounds of financial assistance and relief in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including most recently the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, which was signed into law on March 11, 2021.  

The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 provides unemployed workers with enhanced unemployment benefits through September 6, 2021.  This includes additional payments of $300 per week for beneficiaries through that time.  The number of total weeks a recipient may receive unemployment benefits has also been increased to 79 weeks.

For those with incomes less than $150,000 in 2020, the first $10,200 of unemployment insurance benefits will not be taxed. 

Apply for unemployment by clicking here. 

You can apply for unemployment compensation through the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development. For information on filing for unemployment, please click here. 

The Wisconsin unemployment rate provides a maximum amount of $370 per week and a minimum amount of $54 per week. As a result of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, between now and September 6, 2021, an additional $300 will be added to every unemployment compensation check, so no one will receive less than $300 per week.

FPUC provides an automatic, additional payment to individuals who are collecting benefits from ANY of the following programs through September 6, 2021:

The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 extended the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program until September 6, 2021, which expands unemployment insurance to cover individuals who are not traditionally covered, including the self-employed, gig-workers, independent contractors, and workers with irregular work history.

Apply by clicking here.

Yes, under the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) program, payments are available to individuals who have exhausted their regular Unemployment Insurance benefits. 

Read more about the PUEC program by clicking here. 

Expanded eligibility for unemployment insurance will be in effect until September 6, 2021.

The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD) is responsible for administering our state’s unemployment benefits and is working to review, program, and deploy updates as a result of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 as quickly as possible. DWD has compiled a list of resources that may be helpful while the DWD works to process your claim.  If you experience delays or concerns with the processing of your benefits, your state elected officials have oversight of DWD. 

You can begin filing by clicking here. 

Or for additional information, click here. 

For general information and resources about coronavirus for Wisconsinites, please click here.

For more information about the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, please click here.

Disclaimer: The information provided on this webpage does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal or tax preparation advice from Senator Baldwin. All information, content, and materials available on this page are for general informational purposes only.