To advise states of the enactment of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, specifically Division N, Title II, Subtitle A, the Continued Assistance for Unemployed Workers Act of 2020, on December 27, 2020, and to provide an overview and instructions for implementing certain UI-related provisions.

The purpose of this Unemployment Insurance Program Letter (UIPL) is to provide guidance about the changes to the PEUC program authorized by section 206 of the Continued Assistance for Unemployed Workers Act of 2020 (Continued Assistance Act).

To advise states of the enactment of the Continued Assistance Act, on December 27, 2020, amending certain provisions of the Emergency Unemployment Insurance Stabilization and Access Act (EUISAA), set out in division D of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (Pub. L. 116-127), the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act (Pub. L. 116-136), and creating an optional, time-limited, and temporary waiver related to the 13-week "off" period in the permanent extended benefit (EB) law, the Federal-State Extended Unemployment Compensation Act of 1970 (EUCA), 26 U.S.C. § 3304, note.

To ensure that states are aware that: 1) the social security survivors and old age retirement annuities and the Federal civilian pensions annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) will increase for calendar year 2021 and 2) COLA information is located on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) website.

The purpose of this Unemployment Insurance Program Letter (UIPL) is to provide guidance about the reauthorization and modification of the FPUC program and guidance about the new MEUC program authorized in sections 203 and 261 of the Continued Assistance Act, Public Law (Pub. L.) 116-260, respectively.

To advise states that on October 31, 2011, the current Withdrawal/Invalid Claim (WIC) application will be discontinued and a new “enhanced” WIC application, called WIC2, will be implemented on November 1, 2011.

To ensure states are aware of the locality-based salary rates for certain Federal civilian employees.

To provide updated guidance to states regarding activities for which they continue to have flexibility in their staffing model after emergency temporary flexibilities for merit staffing standards expire on March 14, 2021. Additionally, this Unemployment Insurance Program Letter (UIPL) provides updated guidance regarding the application of the UC confidentiality provisions to such activities. The information in this UIPL about confidentiality supersedes prior guidance on the topic provided in Section 5.b. of UIPL No. 12-01, issued December 28, 2000.

To provide states with updated guidance for the PUA program, as amended by the Continued Assistance to Unemployed Workers Act of 2020 (Continued Assistance Act) and updated instructions for reporting PUA program activities.

To transmit a revision of the State UI DV Operations Guide (ET Operations Guide 411).