The Department of Employment Services is receiving a higher than normal call volume and encourages claimants to apply for unemployment compensation online at dcnetworks.org.

LOST WAGES ASSISTANCE (LWA)

Lost Wages Assistance Program FAQs

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has approved funding for the District of Columbia Department of Employment Services (DOES) to provide $300 per week in Lost Wages Assistance (LWA) to eligible DC workers for a limited number of weeks. LWA is not an unemployment insurance program; it is a FEMA program that provides a supplemental payment on top of the unemployment benefits an eligible claimant receives from the District. Benefits under LWA will be available only for the weeks ending August 1, 2020 through September 5, 2020.



To be eligible for this benefit, individuals must have a weekly benefit amount of at least $100 per week from an approved unemployment compensation program and must certify that they are unemployed or partially unemployed due to disruptions caused by COVID-19. Beginning September 19, 2020, you will be presented with a self-certification question pertaining to LWA when you log into your Claimant Services portal on dcnetworks.org. After certifying that you have been unemployed or partially unemployed due to COVID-19, you will receive a lump sum payment retroactive to your earliest date of eligibility within the LWA program. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has approved funding for the District of Columbia Department of Employment Services (DOES) to provide $300 per week in Lost Wages Assistance (LWA) to eligible DC workers for a limited number of weeks. LWA is not an unemployment insurance program; it is a FEMA program that provides a supplemental payment on top of the unemployment benefits an eligible claimant receives from the District. Benefits under LWA will be available only for the weeks ending August 1, 2020 through September 5, 2020.To be eligible for this benefit, individuals must have a weekly benefit amount of at least $100 per week from an approved unemployment compensation program and must certify that they are unemployed or partially unemployed due to disruptions caused by COVID-19. Beginning September 19, 2020, you will be presented with a self-certification question pertaining to LWA when you log into your Claimant Services portal on dcnetworks.org. After certifying that you have been unemployed or partially unemployed due to COVID-19, you will receive a lump sum payment retroactive to your earliest date of eligibility within the LWA program.



Implementing the CARES Act

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was passed by the federal government to provide emergency assistance and health care response for individuals, families, and businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. District workers are eligible to receive an expansion of UI benefits through three new unemployment benefits programs. A summary of the expanded UI programs offered through the provisions of the CARES Act is provided below:

1. Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA)

PUA covers individuals who are not eligible for traditional UI benefits, including the self-employed, those seeking part-time employment, individuals lacking sufficient work history, independent contractors, gig economy workers; and those who have exhausted their benefit eligibility under both traditional UI and Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation. As with traditional UI benefits, claimants should apply for PUA in the jurisdiction where they worked, rather than where they live. To apply for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance,, click here

2. Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC)

PEUC covers individuals who have recently exhausted all rights to regular UI under state or federal law. It provides up to 13 weeks of unemployment benefits. To apply for PEUC, click here and follow the link labeled “File for PEUC”.

3. Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC)

FPUC covers individuals currently receiving regular UI or PUA, and individuals eligible under PEUC (see above). In addition to regular UI or PUA benefits, eligible individuals will receive an additional $600 per week; however, this additional benefit expired on July 25, 2020.

Extended Benefits (EB) Program



What is the EB Program?

EB are additional UI benefits payable to qualified workers when an “Extended Benefit Period” occurs in the District. EB is payable only for weeks of unemployment during an EB period and is available only to individuals who meet the criteria, including additional eligibility provisions that do not apply to regular UI.



When does the EB Program Begin?

The current EB period in the District began on May 24, 2020 and provides up to 13 additional weeks of benefits to workers who have exhausted regular UI benefits and PEUC benefits. Since EB is not payable until after PEUC has exhausted, the week ending on July 4, 2020 is the first potential payable week of EB.

Who is Eligible for EB?

To be eligible for EB, you must first exhaust all 26 weeks of traditional UI benefits and all 13 weeks of PEUC benefits (a total of 39 weeks of benefits) and continue to be unemployed. Alternatively, if your benefit year for regular UI expired after July 1, 2019, and you received the 13 weeks of PEUC benefits, you may be eligible for EB. You must also not be eligible for a regular unemployment insurance claim in the District or any other state.

How to Apply for EB

Individuals may file for EB at Individuals may file for EB at www.dcnetworks.org , and click the Claim Unemployment Benefit tab. Upon clicking the link, please select File for EB. Complete the questions asked and enter any requested information. The process will redirect those eligible to file for the EB program to the proper application.

District residents may file for unemployment compensation at dcnetworks.org. With Mayor Bowser adjusting the District of Columbia’s operating status in response to coronavirus (COVID-19),

To begin the process of filing for your unemployment benefits, you will need to have the following information readily available:

Your social security number

Your most recent 30-day employer’s name, address, phone number and dates of employment

Your Alien Registration Number, if you are not a US Citizen

Your DD214, if you are ex-military

Your Standard Form 8 or Standard Form 50, if you are a former federal employee

Severance pay information (only applicable if you did or will receive severance pay)

Pension

Please note that confidential unemployment compensation information may be requested and utilized for other governmental purposes, including, but not limited to, verification of eligibility under other government programs. This notice is required by 20 C.F.R. § 603.11

– How do States notify claimants and employers about the uses of their information?

For information regarding the next steps after filing an initial unemployment claim, read the Unemployment Insurance What’s Next

Instructions for Completing the Continued Claim Form ( For detailed instructions regarding how to certify for weekly unemployment benefits, read the English or Spanish