Additional Unemployment Insurance Benefits Available in Wisconsin Under Extended Benefit Program

MADISON – Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD) Secretary Caleb Frostman announced today that, due to an increase in the state's unemployment rate, Wisconsin triggered onto the Extended Benefit (EB) program, which provides additional unemployment benefits to those who exhaust previous benefits, effective May 17, 2020. Unemployed individuals who exhaust their regular unemployment insurance (UI) benefits and Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) may be eligible for an additional 13 weeks of benefits. The EB program does not apply to individuals collecting Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA).

After EB is programmed, individuals with remaining balances of regular UI or PEUC will continue to draw those benefits until those benefits are exhausted. Individuals filing at the time will be provided messaging in their claimant portal prior to exhausting benefits and will be able to submit a new initial application to continue their payment under the EB program. Those who are no longer filing at that time will be identified and notified of potential eligibility by mail.

DWD still needs to program its system to address EB. This will be done after programming for PEUC is completed. While this may delay the payment of EB to those who quickly exhaust both regular UI and PEUC, when they can file for EB, they will receive all back payment for which they are eligible.

To file an application for unemployment, go online at: https://my.unemployment.wisconsin.gov