Pandemic Unemployment Assistance: Overview & Guidelines

The application for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) is available online and it is also mobile-friendly. If you have all the required documents, you may be able to complete the application just within half an hour.

This article is a guide to help you perform a successful Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) Login for all states. Before moving forward with the process to login, reset password and username, and more, let’s go through the brief introduction about PUA.

Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) Login

The Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) is a temporary federal program under the CARES Act. The President of the United States signed the Relief for Workers Affected by Coronavirus Act on March 27, 2020.

PUA provides up to 39 weeks of unemployment benefits to individuals who are unemployed due to COVID-19 reasons.

Benefits of Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA)

  • You will receive a weekly payment as PUA- the amount will be based on your previously reported income.
  • You can claim this benefit even after receiving $600 per week from Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC).

Who can apply for the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA)?

Individuals who are not eligible for regular unemployment compensation (UC) can apply for the PUA program. You are eligible for PUA if you do not have income due to COVID-19 and you are:

  • self-employed
  • seeking part-time work
  • lack adequate work history

Groups who are unemployed for reasons outside of COVID-19, such as retired individuals, inmates, children, unemployed college students, landlords, and so on are not eligible for PUA.

How to Log In to Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA)?

Every state has its own Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) login portal. You first need to search your state’s PUA login portal/dashboard. This article uses the example of the Pennsylvania PUA portal to demonstrate the steps for the PUA login process, please scroll down the bottom of the page to find the PUA Login portal for your state.

Step 1. Go to PUA unemployment login portal https://pua.benefits.uc.pa.gov/vosnet/loginintro.aspx or click on the link. You will be redirected to the page as seen in the following picture.

PUA Login Page

Step 2. Enter your Username and Password.

Step 3. Then click on the “I’m not a robot” reCAPTCHA to enter the site.

Step 4. A small box with Pictures will pop out, verify by clicking on the images and then click on Verify.

Step 5. After verification, click on Sign In.

How to Reset PUA Password and Username?

If you have forgotten your password or username for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) login and looking for a way to recover then please follow the following steps:

Step 1. Go to PUA unemployment login portal https://pua.benefits.uc.pa.gov/vosnet/loginintro.aspx or click on the link.You will be redirected to the following page just as in the previous step.

Step 2. Click on the ‘Retrieve User Name or Password’ option in the bottom-right corner of the page.

PUA Retrieve User Name or Password

Step 3. You will be redirected to a page with three options: Option 1 – Forgot Password, Option 2 – Forgot User Name, and Option 3 – Forgot User Name and Password.

Step 4. You can see the options ‘retrieve password,’ ‘retrieve User Name’ and ‘retrieve both’ respectively. Click on the suitable option.

Step 5. Let’s say you forgot your password and you need to reset it. Click on the ‘retrieve password’ in Option 1. You will get to the following page:

Forgot PUA password

Step 6. Type your User Name, click on what you registered as- individual, employer, staff- and click on the Next button and complete the process.

 

The process to reset the User Name is also similar. If you forgot both password and User Name, then select Option 3 to retrieve them.

How to Apply for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA)?

If you have not yet applied for the PUA program, follow the following steps to access the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance benefits. Once again, Pennsylvania’s PUA portal is used for reference here.

Step 1. Go to PUA unemployment login portal https://pua.benefits.uc.pa.gov/vosnet/loginintro.aspx. You will be redirected to the same page as in previous examples. But this time, go to Option 2- Create a User Account.

Step 2. If you are applying as an Individual, click on the underlined ‘individual’ option.

Step 3. You will be redirected to a page that asks whether you “are you attempting to file a Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) claim at this time?” Click on Yes and THEN ‘Next’.

Apply for PUA Entry page

Step 4. You will get to a page that lists who is eligible for PUA. If you are an eligible individual, click on next.

Step 5. Then you need to provide information regarding your

  • Social Security Number
  • Home address, mailing address, and email address
  • Telephone and mobile number
  • PIN – Personal Identification Number (optional)
  • Direct deposit bank information (optional) – bank name, address, account and the routing number.
  • Proof of income/wages

Once you register/apply for the PUA program, you need to wait for your application to be approved. You will receive an email confirmation if your application is valid and approved by the state.

PUA Login Websites for All States:

As mentioned earlier, this login guide uses the Pennsylvania PUA portal as an example, but if you are from other states then please use the Website listed below. Or for more information you can visit STATE PANDEMIC UNEMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE STATUS page by following the link: https://abc.org/Portals/1/Documents/PoliticsPolicy/State%20PUA%20Status.pdf.

The login steps for all should be similar to the ones defined in this article.

1. Alabama

Unemployment Web Portal: https://www.labor.alabama.gov/

PUA Web Portal: N/A

2. Alaska

Unemployment Web Portal: https://my.alaska.gov/

PUA Web Portal: N/A

3. Arizona

Unemployment Web Portal: https://des.az.gov/

PUA Web Portal: https://pua.azdes.gov

4. Arkansas

Unemployment Web Portal: https://www.dws.arkansas.gov/unemployment/

PUA Web Portal: https://pua.arkansas.gov/home

5. California

Unemployment Web Portal: https://edd.ca.gov/unemployment/

PUA Web Portal: N/A

6. Colorado

Unemployment Web Portal: https://smartfile.coworkforce.com/Start

PUA Web Portal: https://cdle.colorado.gov/ui/new-claimant

7. Connecticut

Unemployment Web Portal: http://www.ctdol.state.ct.us/UI-OnLine/index.htm

PUA Web Portal: http://www.ctdol.state.ct.us/PUA/filePUA.htm

8. Delaware

Unemployment Web Portal: https://ui.delawareworks.com/

PUA Web Portal: N/A

9. Florida

Unemployment Web Portal: http://www.floridajobs.org/

PUA Web Portal: https://floridajobs.org/cares-act

10. Georgia

Unemployment Web Portal: https://www.dol.state.ga.us/static/uiben/ui-ruhere.htm#

PUA Web Portal: https://www.dol.state.ga.us/public/uiben/pua/login

11. Hawaii

Unemployment Web Portal: https://labor.hawaii.gov/ui/

PUA Web Portal: https://pua.hawaii.gov/_/

12. Idaho

Unemployment Web Portal: https://www.labor.idaho.gov/dnn/Unemployment-Benefits

PUA Web Portal: N/A

13. Illinois

Unemployment Web Portal: https://www2.illinois.gov/ides/

PUA Web Portal: https://www2.illinois.gov/ides/pages/file-for-pua.aspx

14. Indiana

Unemployment Web Portal: https://uplink.in.gov/CSS/CSSLogon.htm

PUA Web Portal: N/A

15. Iowa

Unemployment Web Portal: https://www.iowaworkforcedevelopment.gov/file-claim-unemployment-insurance-benefits

PUA Web Portal: https://www.iowaworkforcedevelopment.gov/Pua-application

16. Kansas

Unemployment Web Portal: https://www.getkansasbenefits.gov/BenefitsStartMenu.aspx

PUA Web Portal: NA

17. Kentucky

Unemployment Web Portal: https://uiclaims.des.ky.gov/ebenefit/eben.htm

PUA Web Portal: N/A

18. Louisiana

Unemployment Web Portal: https://www.louisianaworks.net/hire/vosnet/Default.aspx

PUA Web Portal: N/A

19. Maine

Unemployment Web Portal: https://reemployme.maine.gov/

PUA Web Portal: N/A

20. Maryland

Unemployment Web Portal: https://beacon.labor.maryland.gov/claimant/

PUA Web Portal: N/A

21. Massachusetts

Unemployment Web Portal: https://uionline.detma.org/Claimant/Core/Login.ASPX

PUA Web Portal: https://ui-cares-act.mass.gov/PUA/_/

22. Michigan

Unemployment Web Portal: https://www.michigan.gov/leo/0,5863,7-336-78421_97241—,00.html

PUA Web Portal: N/A.

23. Minnesota

Unemployment Web Portal: https://www1.uimn.org/ui_applicant/applicant/login.do

PUA Web Portal: N/A

24. Mississippi

Unemployment Web Portal: https://accessms.mdes.ms.gov/accessms/faces/login/login.xhtml

PUA Web Portal: N/A

25. Missouri

Unemployment Web Portal: https://uinteract.labor.mo.gov/benefits/home.do

PUA Web Portal: N/A

26. Montana

Unemployment Web Portal: https://montanaworks.gov/

PUA Web Portal: https://mtpua.mt.gov/_/#1

27. Nebraska

Unemployment Web Portal: https://dol.nebraska.gov/

PUA Web Portal: Claimant guide available here

28. Nevada

Unemployment Web Portal: http://ui.nv.gov/css.html

PUA Web Portal: N/A

29. New Hampshire

Unemployment Web Portal: https://www.unemploymentbenefits.nh.gov/

PUA Web Portal: N/A

30. New Jersey

Unemployment Web Portal: https://secure.dol.state.nj.us/sso/XUI/?realm=ui#register/

PUA Web Portal: N/A

31. New Mexico

Unemployment Web Portal: https://sam.dws.state.nm.us/Core/Login.ASPX

PUA Web Portal: N/A

32. New York

Unemployment Web Portal: https://unemployment.labor.ny.gov/

PUA Web Portal: N/A

33. North Carolina

Unemployment Web Portal: https://des.nc.gov/

PUA Web Portal: N/A

34. North Dakota

Unemployment Web Portal: https://www.jobsnd.com/

PUA Web Portal: https://www.jobsnd.com/pandemic-unemployment-assistance-pua

35. Ohio

Unemployment Web Portal: https://unemploymenthelp.ohio.gov/

PUA Web Portal: https://cares.unemployment.ohio.gov/

36. Oklahoma

Unemployment Web Portal: https://unemployment.state.ok.us/

PUA Web Portal: https://ui.ok.gov/

37. Oregon

Unemployment Web Portal: https://secure.emp.state.or.us/ocs4/index.cfm?u=F20200511A084550B34994833.4795&lang=E

PUA Web Portal: https://govstatus.egov.com/ui-benefits/CARES

38. Pennsylvania

Unemployment Web Portal: https://www.uc.pa.gov

PUA Web Portal: https://www.uc.pa.gov/unemployment-benefits/file/Pages/Filing-for-PUA.aspx

39. Puerto Rico

Unemployment Web Portal: https://www.trabajo.pr.gov/

PUA Web Portal: https://pua.trabajo.pr.gov/pua/application

40. Rhode Island

Unemployment Web Portal: http://www.dlt.ri.gov/ui/fileclaim2.htm

PUA Web Portal: https://covidemergencyuibenefits.dlt.ri.gov/

41. South Carolina

Unemployment Web Portal: https://dew.sc.gov/

PUA Web Portal: N/A

42. South Dakota

Unemployment Web Portal: https://apps.sd.gov/LD00General/

PUA Web Portal: N/A

43. Tennessee

Unemployment Web Portal: https://www.jobs4tn.gov/vosnet/Default.aspx

PUA Web Portal: N/A

44. Texas

Unemployment Web Portal: https://login.apps.twc.state.tx.us/UBS/

PUA Web Portal: N/A

45. Utah

Unemployment Web Portal: https://jobs.utah.gov/ui/home/initialclaims

PUA Web Portal: https://jobs.utah.gov/sso/login.aspx?application

46. Vermont

Unemployment Web Portal: https://vermont.force.com/DOLClaim/s/

PUA Web Portal: N/A

47. Virginia

Unemployment Web Portal: https://www.vec.virginia.gov/

PUA Web Portal: https://www.vec.virginia.gov/html/pua.html

48. Washington

Unemployment Web Portal: https://secure.esd.wa.gov/home/

PUA Web Portal: N/A

49. West Virginia

Unemployment Web Portal: https://uc.workforcewv.org/consumer/?lang=en

PUA Web Portal: https://pua.workforcewv.org/vosnet/Default.aspx

50. Wisconsin

Unemployment Web Portal: https://my.unemployment.wisconsin.gov/Claimant/Account/Logon

PUA Web Portal: N/A

51. Wyoming

Unemployment Web Portal: https://wyui.wyo.gov/

PUA Web Portal: N/A

52. Washington D.C

Unemployment Web Portal: https://www.dcnetworks.org/vosnet/Default.aspx

PUA Web Portal: https://dcdoes.force.com/PUAForm/s/

We hope you have found our article on PUA Login useful and was able to help you. Thank you for going through it, please leave us your feedback or suggestion in the comment section below.

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