Download the Weekly Maine Joblink Newsletter for Job-Seekers at the following:

https://lnks.gd/2/P8DqD7

NOTE: Unemployment 1099G's will be available by the end of January 2021.

Unemployment insurance payments are taxable. When you file for unemployment, you have the option to choose to have taxes taken out at the time benefits are paid. If you opt to have the deductions taken out of your unemployment benefits, the standard deduction used is 10% for Federal Taxes and 5% for State Taxes.

By the end of January 2021, everyone who received unemployment benefits during 2020 will be sent a 1099G form by mail. The form will also be available electronically in your ReEmployME account, under Correspondences, as well as the "View and Print 1099" tab located on your ReEmployME Home page.

If your mailing address has changed, the Department urges you to verify your mailing address in your unemployment account by January 24. You can check your mailing address by logging into your account at https://reemployme.maine.gov/. Select the Benefits Maintenance Tab, Update Claimant Profile, and Contact Details to update your address.

• Download the 1099G FAQ (PDF)

You may recently be seeing "online interview" in your unemployment account. This online questionnaire shows in your account if you stated in your weekly claim that you did not complete a work search related activity.

While the questionnaire is optional, completing it will speed up the fact-finding process, and allow you to answer the questions at a time that works for you. If you choose not to fill out the questionnaire, a phone interview will be scheduled.

A guide to the questionnaire and FAQS can be found here: Claimant Instruction Guide.

Update on the extension of federal programs 1.5.21: This week, MDOL began issuing the additional $300 FPUC payments to those receiving unemployment benefits. The first $300 payments were distributed with unemployment benefits for the week ending January 2.

Claimants who were receiving PUA or PEUC when the programs originally ended Dec. 26 and still had weeks left of eligibility did not see an interruption in payments, and have continued to be paid benefits in addition to the $300 FPUC as long as they were otherwise eligible.

Claimants who had exhausted their PUA benefits including or prior to Dec. 26 and are eligible for benefits will begin receiving payments the week of January 10. Claimants who had exhausted their original PEUC benefits including or prior to Dec. 26 and are still eligible for benefits will begin receiving payments the week of January 17th. Payments will be retroactive to week ending January 2 if eligible.

In order to be paid, you must have weekly certifications on file. We recommend that claimants who are still unemployed continue to file their weekly certifications, so that payments can be made to eligible claimants as soon as possible.

You can also view a chart with information about the Unemployment programs available after the federal government extension:

Chart

For more information, please read the MDOL Press Release

Every calendar quarter, MDOL is required to check whether individuals currently receiving benefits under PUA or PEUC might now qualify for regular state unemployment insurance as a result of additional wages earned during the quarter.

December marked the end of a quarter, so you may receive a new eligibility determination through your unemployment account and by mail. This is a normal part of the recheck process - you may see your account change to "Regular-UI" and initially see $0 in your unemployment account balance. This is temporary.

Once the recheck process is completed, if you are not eligible to switch to state unemployment, your account and claim will again show you receiving benefits under your prior payable program (PUA, or PEUC), if otherwise eligible.