Missouri announces return to unemployment requirements as part of state re-
opening
As state re-opens as part of the Show Me Strong Recovery effort and businesses
resume operation, the Missouri Department of Labor’s (DOLIR) Division of Employment
Security (DES) has announced the return of unemployment requirements.
Work search activities resume. Beginning with the week of July 5, 2020, individuals
wishing to continue to receive unemployment benefits (including the $600 federal
supplement available through July 25, 2020) will be required to perform work search
activities that had been lifted because they had filed a coronavirus-related
unemployment claim.
Work search activities are required for programs including regular Unemployment
Insurance (UI), Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), Extended Benefits (EB),
and Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC). Individuals with an
employer-submitted recall date, in approved training, and those employees on the
Shared Work program will be exempt from the work search requirement. All other
claimants will be required to perform and report three work search activities per week to
remain eligible for benefits. Union members with a hiring or referral hall may contact
their hall three times per week or attend training for the required number of work search
activities.
Employer account charges to resume. Also beginning July 5, 2020, employers will once
again be charged for unemployment claims against their account. Employers wishing to
reduce the amount of charges being made against their accounts are encouraged to
report employees that either refuse to return to work or are receiving pay through the
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Separately, guidance will be provided related to
the Shared Work program and any continued waiver of employer account charges.
Waiting week for all new UI claims resumes. For those filing for unemployment in
Missouri on or after July 5, 2020, a waiting week requirement will again be imposed.
The waiting week is the first week of a claim for which the individual is eligible for
unemployment benefits but during this week, the individual is not paid benefits. Those
individuals who are approved for benefits may receive compensation for the waiting
week as the last payment on the regular unemployment claim (Missouri Department of
