Unemployment Insurance FAQs

Unemployment insurance programs and extensions funded by the federal CARES Act expired December 26, 2020, including Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) and Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC). The New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions (NMDWS) has started to receive guidance from the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) on implementing the Continued Assistance for Unemployed Workers Act and will provide additional information as it becomes available.

If your claim is not approved until after December 26, you may still receive backpay for weeks for which you are qualified. You should continue filing weekly certifications.

Benefits expire on Saturday December 26, 2020. You may submit your weekly certification starting Sunday, December 27, 2020 for the week of December 20-26, 2020. You have until Saturday, January 2, 2021 at midnight to report this week. This is the last payable week for PUA benefits.

Every three months the federal government requires Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) claimants to complete a quarter change questionnaire to review eligibility for regular unemployment benefits. This may be completed now by selecting the "Apply for Unemployment Benefits" from the menu bar on your claimant homepage and completing the quarter end process. Depending on your responses to the quarter change employment questionnaire, you may be prompted to complete a full application to determine if you are eligible for regular unemployment benefits. Please complete all questions that are presented to you. If your claim is inactive you will have to reopen your claim.

If you exhausted your benefits and have a $0 balance, the department is waiting for guidelines and funding from U.S. Department of Labor and there is nothing more for you to do at this time. The department will provide further information on next steps as soon as it is available.

If you have exhausted the original 39 weeks of PUA benefits on or before December 26, whether or not you have a remaining balance, the department is waiting for guidance and funding from USDOL. There is nothing more for you to do at this time. The department will provide further information on next steps as soon as it is available.

Yes, if a claimant is eligible for benefits they may request a backdate to the week of December 27, 2020. Each eligible certification week starting with the week of December 27 will also include the additional $300 Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) payment.

You may also provide documents that show you were working and that your work was disrupted due to the pandemic. Additional proof of income documents include pay stubs, 1099/W-2, FEIN or state employer account number, business license.

Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) under the CARES Act was available for 39 weeks and is not determined by balance. If you exhausted all 39 weeks but still have a balance, your claim will be exhausted. If you did not exhaust your weeks prior to December 27, 2020, you can reopen your claim to continue certifying for remaining weeks. If you have exhausted your PUA benefits and your claim is inactive, you will receive a “Reopen Claim” link on your claimant homepage. You may qualify to receive up to 11 additional weeks of benefits under the Continued Assistance Act.

Please complete your quarterly application. This can be done at anytime Sunday through Saturday. The online system is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, except during times of scheduled maintenance, at www.jobs.state.nm.us.