NMDWS reaches $3 billion mark in benefits paid to unemployed New Mexicans since March 2020
For Immediate Release
January 19, 2021
Contact: Stacy Johnston
Acting Public Information Officer
505.250.3926
NMDWS reaches $3 billion mark in benefits paid to
unemployed New Mexicans since March 2020
(Albuquerque, NM) – Today, the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions (NMDWS) announced it reached a significant milestone in processing payments to unemployment insurance claimants during the coronavirus pandemic. Over $3 billion in state and federal unemployment insurance benefits have been paid to claimants since March 1, 2020.
The $3 billion amount includes benefit payments under the following programs:
- Regular state Unemployment Insurance (UI)
- CARES Act benefits
- Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC)
(13-week extension after regular state UI benefits exhaust)
- Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC)
(eligible claimants received an additional $600 with their weekly benefit amount from March until the program ended in July, 2020)
- Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA)
(for self-employed, gig economy, and contract workers)
- Federal-State Extended Benefits (FDEB1)
(13-week extension after regular state UI benefits and PEUC benefits are exhausted)
- Lost Wages Assistance Program (LWA)
(eligible claimants received an additional $300 from FEMA from August – September 2020)
- Worker Pandemic Benefit (WPB)
(one-time supplemental unemployment compensation benefit for eligible claimants in the amount of $1,200)
- Continued Assistance Act
- Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC)
(eligible claimants received an additional $300 with their weekly benefit amount starting in January 2021)
“Governor Lujan Grisham’s entire administration understands how hard the COVID-19 pandemic has been on New Mexicans, and NMDWS has been one of the nation’s leaders in implementing new programs and putting resources into the pockets of our neighbors,” said Bill McCamley, NMDWS Secretary. “To put this accomplishment into perspective, $3 billion is equivalent to 40% of the entire State’s budget. Staff will continue to do all they can to assist New Mexicans with receiving benefits and seeking employment.”
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