A new bill for the extension of benefits at the federal level is still under consideration by Congress.

The Maryland Department of Labor has some good news for unemployed Marylanders. On July 31, 2020, the department announced an extension of unemployment insurance benefits for an additional 13 weeks. The extension is part of a federal-state extended benefits program that will give Marylanders an extra 13 weeks on top of the standard 26 weeks of benefits. Everyone who is eligible for the program will get a letter in the mail.

If a worker becomes unemployed in the state of Maryland, they are eligible for a total of 26 weeks of benefits. However, federal and state governments can extend unemployment benefits in times of crisis. During the great recession in 2007, unemployment insurance was extended several times for a total of 99 weeks. Because the unemployment rate is over five percent, Maryland was able to grant a 13-week extension due to the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation assistance program.

Congress and the White House are still negotiating on a new relief package that may or may not extend the extra $600 per week in federal benefits provided by the CARES Act. Republicans are leaning towards supporting a percentage that would equal 70 percent of an individual’s wages. 

Maryland Department of Labor Secretary Tiffany Robinson speaks at a press conference on July 15, 2020, courtesy Joe Andrucyk

Until then, eligible Marylanders will still get state payments, up to a maximum of $430 per week. Once you receive notice that you are eligible for the 13-week extension, all you have to is apply in state’s Beacon system. At the beginning of the pandemic, more than 300,000 people applied for unemployment benefits in Maryland. At the end of June, the unemployment rate in Maryland had dropped to eight percent, making it the best in the DMV and one of the best in the nation.