States End $300 Unemployment and Offers Bonuses

The Department of Labor's jobs report this month showed an additional 266,000 jobs were added in April and that the unemployment rate increased from 6.0% to 6.1%. The lackluster news led to even more states announcing actions to get individuals back to work with some states ending the $300 enhanced federal unemployment benefit. Some states are even offering large bonuses for jobless individuals who return to work.

Note: The information in this article is accurate as of this writing. As this information will continue to change, please check with each individual state to verify the current information.

States Ending the $300 

The American Rescue Plan (ARP) extended unemployment benefits through September 6, 2021, and included $300 a week for Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (PUC). States may opt out of the program with no repercussions for withdrawing. When states do opt out of the PUC, jobless residents continue to receive regular, state-issued unemployment benefits.

As of May 18, 2021, these states have announced they will end the $300 PUC over the summer. 

• Alabama
• Alaska
• Arizona
• Arkansas
• Georgia
• Idaho
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• Montana
• North Dakota
• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• South Carolina
• South Dakota
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Utah
• West Virginia
• Wyoming
  
  

States Offering Large Bonuses

Even more interesting is that some states are offering bonuses to incentivize jobless residents to return to work. 

Arizona, which is ending the $300 PUC, is offering a $2,000 bonus for residents who return to work full-time by September 6th with a partial bonus for those who return part-time. There are conditions to receive the bonus, including a requirement to work for 10 weeks with a new employer.

Connecticut is not ending the $300 PUC, but is offering a $1,000 bonus to 10,000 long-term unemployed individuals. There are conditions to receive the bonus, including a requirement to work for eight consecutive weeks before the end of the year. 

Montana, which is ending the $300 PUC, is offering a $1,200 bonus to those returning to work. Individuals will be required to work for four weeks prior to receiving the bonus.