ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Maryland's Department of Labor on Thursday said unemployment benefits would be extended 13 weeks.
Extensions would only apply to approved beneficiaries who've already completed their 26 weeks of regular unemployment benefits and 13 weeks of Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC).
The Department will notify in writing all those potentially eligible for the extension. They would then have to reapply on the state's BEACON One-Stop portal.
If approved, the weekly benefit amount would be the same as under the regular unemployment programs.
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Maryland qualified for the extension because filings exceeded five percent and at least 120 percent of the average rate the prior two years.
Since March 21 -- 1,059,773 Maryland residents filed initial unemployment claims, compared to only 446,883 claims filed in 2018 and 2019 combined.
The Labor Department reports over 96 percent of those claims have been processed thus far.
