PHOENIX — Arizona Governor Doug Ducey announced on Thursday that Arizona will no longer be taking the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation, the extra $300 in federal money given to those who are unemployed.
However, Ducey says the state will put aside $300 million in federal money so that Arizona can offer one-time $2,000 bonuses to people who get a full-time job, while those who return part-time will receive $1,000.
The bonus will be awarded when the individual has left the unemployment insurance program and completed at least 10 weeks of work with an employer, and be offered on a first-come, first-serve basis, according to the Governor's office.
There are further qualifications for the bonus including the individual must make $25 per hour or less, equivalent to $52,000 salary, at their new job and the job must begin working by Labor Day. More information can be found here.
“In Arizona, we’re going to use federal money to encourage people to work…instead of paying people not to work,” Governor Ducey said in a release.
As part of the American Rescue Plan Act, federal employment benefits on top of state benefits were extended in March.
The current plans allow people to collect 50 weeks of benefits, longer than the typical 26 weeks of unemployment Arizona allowed prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ducey is ending that supplement early to fill jobs available around the state.
“Although more people are ready to work today in Arizona than before the pandemic, many businesses are struggling to fill vital positions,” Ducey said in a statement. “We cannot let unemployment benefits be a barrier to getting people back to work.”
Arizona will join about a dozen other states that will end the additional federal benefits that came due to the pandemic.