Information for Workers Affected by COVID-19

Unemployment Insurance (UI) claims are processed by the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions (NMDWS), and there are two ways to file an unemployment claim:

• ONLINE
  You can file your new (initial) UI claim online at www.jobs.state.nm.us.
  Get connected to online services today! ¡Conéctese a los servicios en línea hoy! - PDF


• 1-877-664-6984 TOLL-FREE TELEPHONE
  You can also file over the phone by calling 1-877-NM-4-MYUI(1-877-664-6984). After following the automated prompts, your call will be transferred to a Customer Service Agent (CSA) who will complete your claim. Regular hours for the UI Operations Center are Monday–Friday, 7:00am-5:00pm. Please be aware that we are continuing to receive a large volume of incoming calls. If you have difficulty getting through to speak to an agent, we advise you to continue calling, as spots will open in the hold queue and the callback queue as other calls are completed.

Work search requirements are waived until further notice. After you have applied for benefits, you must file a weekly certification for each week for which you are applying for benefits. Weekly certifications may be filed online or by phone.

If you need to file a new claim for benefits, you may do so Sunday-Friday, 24 hours a day, online at www.jobs.state.nm.us, or over the phone at 1-877-664-6984 Monday-Friday, 7:00am-5:00pm.

If you have been directed to self-quarantine or are taking care of an immediate household member that is quarantined due to COVID-19, and you have a return to work date, the separation reason you would select on your claim is “Leave of Absence.” If you answer that it is a paid leave of absence, you will be found ineligible for benefits because you are still receiving payment from your employer. If you answer that you are not receiving payment you will potentially be eligible to receive benefits.

If you do not have a return to work date, please select "Discharged/Lack of Work due to COVID-19".

Certain questions within the questionnaire are dependent on the first answer you provide. If you say “yes” that your employer posted the information in the workplace about your right to file a claim, you should skip the next question. You would only complete the next question if you answered “no” to the question “Did you know you could file for benefits?” Read each question and instructions carefully when filling out questionnaires.

If you need to complete your weekly certification, you may do so any day of the week, 24 hours a day, online at www.jobs.state.nm.us, or over the phone at 1-877-664-6984 Monday-Friday, 7:00am-5:00pm

Work search requirements are waived until further notice. After you have applied for benefits, you must file a weekly certification for each week for which you are applying for benefits. Weekly certifications may be filed online or by phone.

Work search requirements are waived until further notice.

It is a federal requirement that you must be able and available to accept suitable work in order to qualify for unemployment benefits. You will be asked in your weekly certification if you were able and available to work at least 20 hours for the week you are certifying for. For more information please view the Able, Available, and Actively Seeking Fact Sheet .

When completing your weekly certification you do not need to report monies from the IRS Economic Impact Payment or from the NMDWS Self-Employed Stimulus Payment, as neither are considered reportable as income.

You can check what pending issue you have by logging into your unemployment insurance account, selecting the menu option “View and Maintain Account Information” and then select “Issues and Determinations”. Scroll down towards the bottom of your screen and you can see what is pending. Please be advised that the department adjudicates issues in the order they are received.

UPDATE: Under guidance from the U.S. Department of Labor, NMDWS will waive the “waiting week” for claimants who have applied for benefits since March 15th. By waiving the waiting week, claimants will receive an extra week of benefit payments to their accounts while allowing for new applicants to receive their benefits faster.

You may be eligible if the situations described below apply to you:

• • Employers may lay off some or all of their workforce as a result of the impact of COVID-19; for example, a restaurant that sees a significant reduction in business due to lack of customers dining out during this time, or an event facility that cancels all events until a later date, or bus drivers who are out of work due to temporary school closures.
  • Workers who are self-quarantined or directed to be quarantined, or who have immediate family who is quarantined.
  • Workers who have their hours reduced as a result of COVID-19.

Leaving employment because of lack of child care is generally not considered good cause to resign sufficient to qualify an individual for unemployment benefits. If childcare arrangements are impacted, an employee must take reasonable steps to preserve their employment, such as requesting an alternate schedule or a leave of absence. If a leave of absence or a reduction in hours is requested by a claimant when full-time work is available, the department must determine if a claimant is able and available for work to be eligible for UI benefits. For more information on the requirement to be able and available, see the Able, Available, and Actively Seeking Work FAQs below.

Regardless if you were full-time or part-time and have your hours reduced you will be eligible for unemployment benefits as long as your earnings are under your weekly benefit amount. Please remember that all earnings must be reported on your weekly certifications at the time the wages were earned, not when they are paid.

Under New Mexico law quitting because of a medical concern is not considered good cause. The department encourages you to work with your employer to discuss options to limit your exposure.

If you have been asked to self-quarantined, are admitted into the hospital, or are caring for a household member who is quarantined as a result of COVID-19 you may apply for unemployment benefits.

Yes, if you are unable to work as a result of the schools being closed due to COVID-19 you may apply for unemployment insurance benefits.

Yes, you can file for unemployment insurance benefits if you have been separated as a direct result of COVID-19.

Drivers for Lyft and Uber are self-employed and may therefore apply for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) benefits. Please refer to “Benefits for Self-Employed, Independent Contractors & Gig Economy Workers” FAQs below for more information.

The department does not deny anyone the right to file a claim for unemployment benefits. Asking someone to work without providing any payment is a violation of the law and you should submit a wage claim to the New Mexico Wage and Hour Bureau to receive payment for hours worked.

AmeriCorps members who were unable to complete their term of service due to COVID19 may be eligible for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance. For eligibility guidance, visit https://nationalservice.gov/documents/2020/cncs-general-questions. For more information about PUA and how to apply, review the FAQs on this page.

You must be physically and mentally able to work and accept full-time or part-time work of at least 20 hours per week. If you are ill, injured, on a leave of absence, or unable to work for any other reason, you may not be considered able and may not be eligible for benefits for that period of time.

Examples of reasons you may not be able to accept work include, but are not limited to:

• Out of country travel
• Illness
• Injury
• Hospitalization
• Incarceration
• School attendance
• Loss of childcare
• Loss of transportation

You may be required to provide evidence of your ability to work, such as a doctor's note.

You must be available for work in order to receive Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits. You will be considered available for work, if your unemployment is related to COVID-19, so long as you are taking all necessary steps to return to work for your regular employer and/or have not withdrawn from the labor market. Your eligibility is not impaired when you are physically unable to work, or engaged in activities which would prevent you from working, provided the time period is not more than two full calendar days AND the inability or activities do not reduce or risk your chances for employment.

The following are not valid reasons to refuse an offer of suitable work, including but not limited to:

• Placing unreasonable restrictions on the hours you will work, for example:
  • Applying for a full-time job and then telling the employer you cannot work full-time or part-time of at least 20 hours per week
  • Applying for a job with evening hours and then telling the employer you can only work mornings
• The wage you will accept, for example:
  • Applying for a job that pays $12-$15 per hour and then telling the employer that you won’t work for less than $25 per hour
• The distance you will travel to work, for example:
  • Applying for a job that is 40 miles away from your home and then telling the employer that it is too far for you to commute

If your employer is holding your job while you are on a Leave of Absence or on approved family leave under the Medical Leave Act of 1993, you will not be considered available for work.

When a work search waiver is not in place, you must be actively looking for full-time or part-time work of at least 20 hours per week. You are required to make a minimum of two different work search contacts every week to qualify for benefits. If you complete two different work searches each week you certify, you will be considered to be actively looking for work. If you attend and complete one of the workshops offered by either the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions or a New Mexico Workforce Connection Center, you can count this as one of your two work searches for the week. You can also complete two searches for the week with the same employer if you apply for two different positions.

Examples of reasons you may not be actively seeking work include, but are not limited to:

• Out of country travel
• Illness
• Injury
• Hospitalization
• Incarceration
• School attendance
• Loss of childcare
• Loss of transportation

Any reason that stops you from actively looking for work must be reported.

Waiver of Work Search
If the department waives your work search for any reason, you will not be required to complete two worksearches for the week and will not be asked if you are actively seeking work on your weekly certification. At this time the work search waiver – which waives the requirement to be actively seeking work – is still in place for all claimants.

Jury Duty
You will be considered able/available/actively seeking work when you are serving as a juror. Payment received for this service is not considered wages and does not need to be reported on your weekly certification. You are required to provide the summons in order to document that you are able/available.

When you complete your weekly certification, answer YES when asked if you are able and available IF:

• You were physically able to do your work before you lost your job (and you lost your job/hours due to your own COVID-19 illness, your need to care for a family/household member with COVID-19, or your employment situation changed because of the COVID-19 public health emergency); OR
• You are out of work temporarily due to an employer-closure related to COVID-19 and expect to return to your job; OR
• You are able and available to work at least 20 hours per week - this includes any type of work for which you are qualified, including virtual (telework) and/or a job with flexible hours; OR
• You are able and available for work if you are still currently working reduced hours.

Yes, if you had a remaining balance under PEUC you will be automatically switched back to PEUC to continue certifying under that program.

If you certified for the week ending date 1/2/2021 and received a payment of at least $1, the department will retroactively pay the $300 Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) benefit and each eligible week moving forward until the FPUC program ends on March 13.

To receive FPUC benefits, claimants must be eligible to receive benefits under regular state Unemployment Insurance, PUA, PEUC, or FDEB1. The $300 will be in addition to a claimant’s weekly benefit amount.

No, you will not have to reapply for PUA as you did the first time. However, every three months the federal government requires 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. 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.

The Worker Pandemic Benefit (WPB) is a one-time supplemental unemployment compensation benefit in the amount of $1,200 to those who have lost work due to the COVID-19 pandemic and who are or were eligible for unemployment benefits, including regular state unemployment insurance, Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC), Extended Benefits, or Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA).

The WPB was authorized through state legislation passed during the 2020 Special Session.

Eligible individuals will receive a one-time $1,200 supplemental benefit as a separate payment from their weekly unemployment benefit.

Funding for the Worker Pandemic Benefit was provided by re-allocated federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding received by the State of New Mexico, and approved during the 2020 Special Session.

No, there is not an application for the Worker Pandemic Benefit. Eligible individuals are those who certify and are eligible to receive benefits for qualifying weeks of November 22 through 28 or November 29 through December 5. Also, claimants who were receiving benefits but exhausted their benefits between September 12, 2020 and the time of the bill signing are eligible for WPB. There is no need for claimants to call or apply separately for this benefit.

This benefit payment will be separate from regular weekly benefit payments. Benefits will be paid starting December 14 to those determined eligible.

No. The $300 per week for up to six weeks was for Lost Wages Assistance (LWA), a program funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). WPB comes from re-allocated federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding received by the State of New Mexico, and approved during the 2020 Special Session.

Individuals are eligible for WPB as long as they certify and are eligible to receive benefits for qualifying weeks of November 22 through 28 or November 29 through December 5. Also, claimants who were receiving benefits but exhausted their benefits between September 12 and November 25 are eligible for WPB. There is no need for claimants to call or apply separately for this benefit.

This one-time benefit is not available to individuals who have returned to full-time work or certify that they earned wages greater than their weekly benefit amount during the week legislation was signed.

Yes, WPB is a taxable benefit.

Eligible individuals will receive a one-time $1,200 supplemental benefit as a separate payment from their weekly unemployment benefit through their preferred payment method for receiving Unemployment Insurance benefits. Your payment method can be revised at any time by logging into your Unemployment Insurance account and going to “View and Maintain Account Information” and then selecting “Payment Method Options and Tax Information.”

The department is expanding our eligibility criteria to include as many claimants as possible in the one-time Worker Pandemic Benefit. Eligible individuals are those who certify and are eligible to receive benefits for qualifying weeks of November 22 through November 28 or November 29 through December 5. Please note, claimants who were eligible for benefits but exhausted their claims between September 12 and November 25, 2020 are eligible for WPB. There is no need for claimants to apply separately for this benefit.

No, to be eligible for the one one-time Worker Pandemic Benefit you only need to be able to certify and are eligible to receive benefits for one of the qualifying weeks. Qualifying weeks are November 22 through November 28 or November 29 through December 5.

If an individual is waiting on an appeal hearing, they may receive the WPB payment if their appeal is resolved and determined in the claimant's favor without any other pending issues before December 28th and they are able to certify and receive a benefit payment for qualifying weeks of November 22 through 28 or November 29 through December 5.

Correct, unemployment insurance programs and extensions funded by the federal CARES Act expire December 26, 2020, including Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) and Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC).

You can look up your benefit program type when you log into your claimant homepage. Look under Basic Information and there you will see a line for “Program Type.”

CARES Act programs are controlled by Congress, not the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions. If Congress extends the unemployment benefit programs or authorizes new unemployment programs, we will update our website and our FAQs.

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.

No. If Congress extends the unemployment benefit programs or authorizes new unemployment programs, we will update our website and our FAQs.

Yes. We are here to assist with your work search. The New Mexico Workforce Connection Online System www.jobs.state.nm.us has thousands of jobs with employers looking to hire now. You may also call your local New Mexico Workforce Connection Center for further assistance. We can assist with:

• Resumes that highlight your skills and work experience;
• Training resources to help upgrade your skills;
• Job interview tips including how to present yourself as a strong, confident candidate;
• Answering difficult questions about your work history; and
• Overcoming barriers you think may be preventing you from getting hired.

All of these services and more – such as virtual job fairs and online workshops – are available to the public at no cost.

There are several websites that offer additional resources, including the State of New Mexico website (www.newmexico.gov) and sharenm.org, that list agencies offering help with food, shelter, medical, dental, and mental health care, child care and more.

The Lost Wages Assistance (LWA) program is a temporary emergency measure to provide an additional $300 per week to those who have lost work due to the COVID-19 pandemic and are receiving unemployment benefits. The LWA program was authorized through an August 8th Presidential Memorandum.

Yes, New Mexico has received approval and grant funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for Lost Wages Assistance (LWA). With the guidance provided in the Unemployment Insurance Program Letter (UPIL) from U.S. Department of Labor, we have started a project to enhance our Unemployment Insurance Tax & Claims System to roll out the LWA in a smooth and seamless process. Read FEMA’s press announcement here.

For the state of New Mexico, an eligible individual could receive a $300 supplemental benefit in addition to their weekly unemployment benefit. New Mexico has been approved for six weeks of payments, beginning July 26, 2020, through September 5, 2020.

The LWA program has a limited budget, so the length of time the LWA program is available, the amount that is paid out, and to whom will be determined by the number of participating states, the number of payments that go out, and how quickly the limited federal funds are exhausted.

No, there is not an application for the LWA program. Funding is limited to those who received unemployment benefits for the time period of July 26, 2020, through September 5, 2020, and meet the self-certification requirements to be eligible for the additional $300 LWA payment.

Funding is limited to those who received an unemployment benefit for the time period of July 26, 2020, through September 5, 2020, and are determined eligible for the additional $300 LWA stimulus payment.

New Mexico must follow the federal guidelines for this program. Eligible individuals include recipients whose weekly benefit amount is at least $100 per week in the following unemployment-related assistance programs:

• Unemployment Insurance or Compensation (state benefits)
• Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (13 weeks federal extension)
• Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (federal self-employed unemployment)
• Extended Benefits

In addition, individuals must self-certify that they are unemployed, or partially unemployed, as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

LWA benefit payments in New Mexico started to go out the second week of September. This benefit payment will be separate from regular weekly benefit payments. Benefits will be paid retroactively for those determined eligible.

No. The $600 per week available under the CARES Act expired at the end of July. LWA has different eligibility requirements and is a limited pool of money to be shared among all states that apply and are approved.

Individuals will have to complete a self-certification that states they are unemployed, partially unemployed, or unable or unavailable to work due to disruptions caused by COVID-19.

No. The $100 requirement is specific to weekly benefit amount.

If an individual is eligible for a minimum weekly benefit amount of $86 and receives a dependency allowance of $25 they will be eligible to receive LWA benefits.

If your weekly benefit amount is $100 or more but you receive less because you are earning wages, you are still eligible to receive LWA benefits if your weekly amount is at least $1.

Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) is a new temporary federal program under the CARES Act that provides benefits to individuals who are not otherwise eligible for Unemployment Insurance.

• You must be either unemployed or have hours reduced to fewer than 32 hours/week and must be earning less than the weekly amount of unemployment you receive.
• You must not be eligible for regular Unemployment Insurance benefits. For example, those who are self-employed/business owners, independent contractors, 1099 and other gig-economy workers, and sole proprietors who do not pay unemployment premiums on their own income are generally not eligible to receive Unemployment Insurance benefits.
• You are able to work and available to accept work except that the COVID-19 pandemic is preventing you from doing that.
• You must provide an acceptable form of proof of earnings. Acceptable forms of proof include copies of income tax return forms such as a Form 1040. For a full list of acceptable forms, please refer to the FAQs.

Acceptable forms of proof of earnings include copies of 2019 income tax forms such as the following:

• Self-employed: Forms 1040; and schedules C, F, or SE
• Partnerships: Forms 1040, 1065, and schedule F, K-1
• Corporations: Forms 1040, 1120, 1120A, and schedule E, SE
• 1099 or W2

Applying for PUA is a two-step process.

1. First, apply for regular Unemployment Insurance benefits at www.jobs.state.nm.us to determine if your income is covered by the regular state Unemployment Insurance (UI) program. If determined ineligible for regular UI benefits, you will then be cleared to apply for PUA benefits.
2. Once you are determined ineligible for regular benefits, you will be provided access to apply for PUA benefits through a link on your Unemployment Insurance Tax & Claims System homepage. 

The PUA benefit is based on your income from the 2019 tax year. You must provide proof of income via 1040 tax forms. The minimum weekly benefit amount is $169, while the maximum is $461.

• Note that the weekly benefit amount does not include the $600 federal stimulus money called Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC). The $600 is in addition to your weekly benefit amount and is also paid for any week that you receive a PUA payment. This additional $600 can be paid between the week beginning 03/29/2020 and the week ending 07/25/2020.

You may receive partial benefits if you are working fewer than 32 hours a week and earning less than the weekly benefit amount. You must report all hours worked and earnings, including tips, for the hours worked when you request payment of unemployment benefits.

If approved and after certifying (and if there are no other issues that require further review), you may be able to receive your first PUA payment within 3 business days through direct deposit or an existing Unemployment benefits debit card or within 11 business days if you request a new debit card.

Yes. Your PUA benefits can be backdated to the date that your employment was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Yes. Claimants who are eligible to receive PUA benefits will also receive Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC). The program became effective on March 29, 2020 and ends July 31, 2020. Eligible individuals will receive an additional $600.00 per week along with their weekly PUA benefits. There is no action required on the part of the claimant other than to continue to file their weekly certifications.

AmeriCorps members who were unable to complete their term of service due to COVID19 may be eligible for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance. For eligibility guidance, visit https://nationalservice.gov/documents/2020/cncs-general-questions. For more information about PUA and how to apply, review the FAQs on this page.

The New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions (NMDWS) set up the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) program beginning the week of April 26, 2020. This program may provide up to an additional 13 weeks of unemployment benefits to those that have exhausted their regular unemployment benefits. The Weekly Benefit Amount (WBA) under the PEUC program is the same as the claimant received for regular unemployment. The claimant may also receive an additional $600 per week through Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) until July 25, 2020.

There are two ways to apply for PEUC:

• Online by logging in to your account at www.jobs.state.nm.us. Click on the “Unemployment Insurance Benefits” umbrella icon to access the Unemployment Insurance Tax & Claims System. On your claimant homepage, click on “Apply for Extended Benefits”.
• By phone at 1-877-664-6984. The department continues to operate under extended hours for the Unemployment Insurance Operations Center, 7:00am-5:00pm

Under federal law, beginning with the week of June 28, 2020, New Mexico has also set up the Federal-State Extended Benefits (FDEB1) Program offering up to an additional 13 weeks of benefits to individuals who have exhausted both their regular unemployment benefits and 13 weeks of PEUC benefits. Upon exhaustion of regular unemployment and PEUC, NMDWS will issue written notification to all individuals who are eligible to apply for the new FDEB1 program. The Weekly Benefit Amount (WBA) under the FDEB1 program is the same as the individual received for regular unemployment.

If you have exhausted your regular state Unemployment Insurance benefits and the 13 weeks of Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC), the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions will send you written notification informing you that you may be eligible for an additional 13 weeks of benefits under the Federal-State Extended Benefits (FDEB1) Program.

There are two ways to apply for FDEB1:

• Online by logging in to your account at www.jobs.state.nm.us. Click on the “Unemployment Insurance Benefits” umbrella icon to access the Unemployment Insurance Tax & Claims System. On your claimant homepage, click on “Apply for Extended Benefits”.
• By phone at 1-877-664-6984. The department continues to operate under extended hours for the Unemployment Insurance Operations Center, 7am-6:30pm, Monday through Friday.*Starting September 8th hours will be 7:00am-5:00pm

Once your regular unemployment insurance benefits have been exhausted, you may be eligible to apply for Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC). PEUC provides an additional 13 weeks of benefits.

Once you have exhausted PEUC benefits, the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions will send you written notification informing you that you may be eligible for an additional 13 weeks of benefits under the Federal-State Extended Benefits (FDEB1) Program.

Work search requirements are waived until further notice.

It is a federal requirement that you must be able and available to accept suitable work in order to qualify for unemployment benefits. For more information, please review the Able, Available, and Actively Seeking Fact Sheet (Hoja de Hechos: Capaz, Disponible, y Actualmente Buscando Trabajo)

Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) provides claimants with up to 39 weeks of benefits. Once a claimant has exhausted their PUA benefits, under federal law, they will not be permitted to apply for extended benefits.

Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) provides individuals who are collecting UI benefits an additional $600 per week. The FPUC additional benefit will be paid on weeks of unemployment beginning March 29, 2020, and will end on July 25, 2020.

The Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) benefit will be paid on a weekly basis on eligible Unemployment Insurance weeks beginning March 29 and ending July 25, 2020. All claimants will receive these payments for weeks they are eligible for regular UI benefits.

No, if you are currently filing for benefits there is no additional action you need to take beyond filing your weekly certification.

No, there is no additional action you need to take beyond filing your weekly certification.

No, once the benefit becomes available you will receive it in the same way as you receive your traditional unemployment benefit via your preferred method of payment.

Claimants will start to see the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation the week of April 20, 2020.

No, funds you receive as a result of this stimulus package will not impact your income eligibility as it is not considered earned income.

The Federal CARES Act enacted into law created a new program referred to as Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC). This additional benefit is for eligible individuals who are receiving unemployment insurance benefits. The program became effective on March 29, 2020 and ends July 31, 2020. Eligible individuals will receive an additional $600.00 per week along with their regular weekly unemployment benefits. There is no action required on the part of the claimant other than to continue to file their weekly certifications.

Yes, benefits will be paid back to the week of March 29th. This means if an individual was laid off prior to March 29th the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) of $600 will not be included in their back pay until the week starting March 29th.

Eligible individuals will receive an additional $600.00 per week along with their regular weekly unemployment benefits in one check.

Those individuals with a current overpayment will be eligible for a partial payment of 50% of the $600 of Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC).

No, those individuals with a current fraud overpayment will not be entitled to any Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC).

• You are eligible for PEUC if:
• You have exhausted all rights to regular state or federal benefits and your Benefit Year End date is after July 1, 2019;
• You are not currently eligible for state or federal unemployment benefits; and
• You are able and available to work and actively seeking work, except in instances where COVID-19 has made it not possible, including illness, quarantine, or "stay at home" orders.

• You have exhausted your benefits when:
• You are not eligible for regular UI benefits because you have received the maximum amount of these benefits available to you based on your employment or wages during your base period; OR
• Your benefit year ended on or after July 1, 2019.

If you currently have an open UI claim, there is nothing for you to do other than continue filing your weekly certification. You cannot apply for any UI programs in advance, so you must wait for the week after your benefits are exhausted to apply for PEUC.

If you have exhausted the maximum amount of regular UI benefits available to you and are unable to file a new claim until your current benefit year expires, you will be eligible for up to 13 weeks of additional benefits through the PEUC program. When you log in to your claim there will be an option on the left navigation that says “Apply for Federal Extension Benefits.”

If you remain totally or partially unemployed when your benefit year ends, you must file a new application for regular UI before your PEUC application can be considered.

Eligible individuals will receive the same amount of Unemployment Insurance benefits as the previous weeks they received. They will also receive Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC), an additional $600 to their weekly benefits up until July 25, 2020 (Max. $1,061 in New Mexico).

Yes. All individuals collecting any type of UI, including PEUC, will receive $600 per week from the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) program, in addition to their weekly benefits as calculated. FPUC payments will end July 25, 2020. These payments will be backdated for eligible individuals.

In general, individuals collecting regular UI are eligible for 26 weeks of benefits. If you are still unemployed after 26 weeks, you may be eligible for up to 13 additional weeks of benefits through PEUC.

No. However, depending on when you last reported income, you may be eligible for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), which provides benefits to those individuals who do not have enough wages in their base year to file a regular UI claim. Please visit our PUA FAQs to find out more.

The PEUC program provides eligible individuals with up to 13 additional weeks of benefits when you have exhausted your regular UI. You may be eligible for at up to 39 total weeks of benefits.

PEUC is not payable for any week of unemployment ending after December 31, 2020.

If you haven’t submitted your claim, the system will allow you to modify any information you have already entered on your claim. If you want to add another employer and have already submitted your claim, you must call the Operations Center at 1-877-664-6984, Monday through Friday, 7:00am – 5:00pm

If you want to add a dependent and have already submitted your claim, go to your Home Page, select “View and Maintain Account Information” from the left-side menu, in the drop-down menu, select “Dependent Information” option and then add the dependent(s) on the screen provided.

If you want to change from debit card to direct deposit (or vice versa), go to your Home Page, select “View and Maintain Account Information” from the left-side menu, from the drop-down menu select “Payment Method Options and Tax Information.” From the Payment Methods Options and Tax Information, select the “Edit” button and make your change.

First, you will need to make sure your internet browsers are closed. From the email you received, select the link to reset password. You must physically type in the temporary password (rather than copy and paste) from the email you received and then the system should allow you to change the password.

Yes, your old account is still available. If the error message is on the Unemployment Insurance Tax & Claims System, type in your Social Security Number (SSN) and then select “Forgot Password.” If the error message is on your “My Workforce Connection” account, select “Forgot Username/Password” and follow the prompts.

If you had an unemployment insurance claim prior to 2013 and have never logged into it online, enter your SSN and the last four digits of your SSN as your password. You will then be prompted to set up a password. Once your new password is set up, it will take you back to the login screen to enter in your SSN and new password.

If you have previously logged in but do not remember your password, please enter in your SSN and then select “forgot password”.

Claims are locked for a variety of reasons, but more often than not this occurs to protect claimants where there may be suspicious activity on a claim and the department takes action to prevent further activity that could be fraudulent. You will receive a letter with more information to unlock your claim. This letter should be used as a cover letter when submitting proof of identity documents to the department.

In order for benefit entitlement to be determined, you must provide a photocopy of at least one of the following documents:

1. Social Security Number
2. A past year's W2 form
3. Check stubs

You must also provide a photocopy of at least one of the following personal identification documents:

1. Driver's license or state ID for New Mexico or other state
2. Birth certificate
3. Passport
4. Alien Identification Card

Mail or fax the cover sheet and your personal identification to the following location:

• New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions
  PO Box 1928
  Albuquerque, NM 87103
  Fax: (505) 841-8636

As an alternative, you may take a picture of your identification on your phone and submit it by email to id.verify@state.nm.us. Be sure to include your claimant ID number on every page submitted. For example, place your driver’s license on a piece of paper on which you have clearly written your claimant ID number. This will help ensure that your proof of identity is attached to your claim.

No. Unemployment Insurance benefits are funded by an employer tax. It is against the law for employers to deduct unemployment taxes from your wages.

UPDATE: Under guidance from the U.S. Department of Labor, NMDWS will waive the “waiting week” for claimants who have applied for benefits since March 15th. By waiving the waiting week, claimants will receive an extra week of benefit payments to their accounts while allowing for new applicants to receive their benefits faster.

To close your claim, all you need to do is stop certifying. There is no need to call or notify the department.

No, you would not be eligible to receive payment if you are serving compensable weeks due to a prior fraud determination until all compensable weeks are served.

Log in to your online account (www.jobs.state.nm.us) regularly to check for any correspondence from the department. You will remain responsible for any communication from NMDWS including requests for information and responses to notices of determination, hearings or decisions issued by the Department.

Starting Wednesday, April 8, 2020, the Unemployment Insurance Operations Center has implemented extended hours. The Operations Center will open at 7am and take calls until 5:00pm

The department continues to strongly encourage anyone with internet access to apply and complete weekly certifications using our website at www.jobs.state.nm.us.

If the system has reached the maximum calls in the regular queue and the call back telephone queue, the system has no other option than to hang up. We apologize for the system issues, but due to the large volume of calls received each day the system is working at capacity.

Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) provides an additional 13 weeks of benefits to individuals who have exhausted their regular state Unemployment Insurance claim (26 weeks) with a benefit year that ended on or after July 1, 2019. There are two ways to apply for PEUC, by calling 1-877-664-6984, Monday-Friday, 7:00am 5:00pm or online by logging in to your account at www.jobs.state.nm.us and selecting "Apply for Federal Extension Benefits" from the left navigation.

It can take up to 3 business days from the time your online Unemployment Insurance claim shows a payment was made for that payment to be reflected in your bank account or on your debit card.

When you file your claim, your weekly benefit amount will be based on the 2019 quarter in which you earned the most, rather than being based on your hourly wage rate.

Claimants in New Mexico may receive up to $461 per week, based on the 2019 quarter in which they earned the most. This is separate from the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC). Claimants may also receive $25 for up to 2 qualified dependents under the age of 18.

If the separation is a layoff (lack of work), the employer does not need to respond during this crisis. If the separation is any other type, the employer will need to respond.

If the Department receives a rejection or return on a direct deposit account for any reason, it will result in a paper check being issued to you by mail. There are many reasons why this could happen, including, but not limited to, the following: Wrong account number or routing number provided; Closed account; Bank closed account due to overdraft fees; Bank rejected payment; Name on payment did not match the name associated with the bank account. Once the Department receives the reject payment file back from the bank, usually in 3-5 days, the system will automatically send out a paper check. You may receive a call from the Department requesting you to correct your direct deposit information online. Please note that we cannot take this information over the phone. You may also receive notification of the rejected payment directly from your bank. If you do not have a valid bank account you will be placed on the debit card payment method.

Per our agency security rules and requirements, we do not accept any type of pre-paid brand accounts, including pre-paid bank accounts or pre-paid debit cards, to be used as a direct deposit account for claims. If you would like to use direct deposit as your payment method, you must have an account using a valid, known FDIC/NCUA approved routing number. If you do not have a valid, known routing number, you will be sent a debit card as your payment method.

If your account number is entered incorrectly, is not known, or is not on the FDIC/NCUA approved routing number list, it will go to the routing number workflow and this payment method will be researched by a member of the NMDWS fraud team. You will be mailed paper checks while the investigation takes place. If it is determined to be valid bank it will be added to the approved list and you may begin to use this as the direct deposit account. If it is an unknown or new pre-paid product, it will be added to the blocked list and you will be placed on the debit card if there is no other valid direct deposit account to be used.

You can change your payment method at any time by accessing your Unemployment Insurance Tax & Claims System account online at www.jobs.state.nm.us. Once you log in, click the umbrella icon for Unemployment Insurance Benefits, then select “Manage Account” and then “Payment Method.” Then select the payment option you would prefer. We recommend that if you are changing your payment method, do so 24 hours prior to completing your weekly certification to allow our system time to update before sending out the payment. Please note that Department staff do not have access to assist with entering any direct deposit account information. Department staff can only update your payment method to the debit card.

If you have elected to receive a debit card for your Unemployment Insurance benefits, please be advised that the current processing and arrival time for new debit cards is 7-14 calendar days.

If you have questions regarding ordering a new card, checking the status of a replacement card, debit card account balance questions, or need to Pin/Activate the card please contact the New Mexico Debit Card Customer Service Center at 1-866-898-2213. Support is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You may also log in to the debit card website at EPPICard.com to manage your debit card account. If you need assistance setting up your account on EPPICard.com, have been locked out of your account, or need help with the website password, please contact the New Mexico Debit Card Customer Service Center at 1-866-898-2213 for assistance.

To order a new card or check the status of your card, you may do so without waiting on hold to speak to someone when you call the New Mexico Debit Card Customer Service Center. You will be asked to verify your identity before a card will be sent and can do this by entering in the card number. If you do not know the card number, you can use your Social Security Number or your date of birth to authenticate.

There is a $15.00 fee for replacement debit cards, and you can request for your new card to be expedited 2 days arrival via FedEx or UPS, depending on your area of the state. Please note that we cannot expedite cards to any PO box addresses. These can be sent via USPS Priority Mail, however, there is no guaranteed delivery date.

No. Per banking regulations, once the money is deposited to the debit card, we cannot remove it for any reason other than fraud. You will need to use the card to access any funds deposited there.

Your date of birth may not have been entered correctly on your claim. Please contact the Department to have this updated by calling 1-877-664-6984 or by emailing ui.claims@state.nm.us.

NMDWS staff do not have any access to the debit card accounts. Please contact the New Mexico Debit Card Customer Service Center at 1-866-898-2213. Support is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You may also log in to the debit card website at EPPICard.com to manage your debit card account.