The Montana Department of Labor and Industry announced Tuesday that it has continued paying out unemployment insurance benefits through the latest federal stimulus package passed at the end of last year. An agency spokesperson said the programs will be open until mid-March, with some final payments extending into April.
The federal Continued Assistance for Unemployed Workers Act extends the unemployment assistance program designed for gig workers, the self-employed and other groups not normally eligible for unemployment benefits.
The rollout of the federal policy in Montana will also pay up to 11 additional weeks of benefits. Those eligible will also receive an extra $300 weekly through the Federal Pandemic Unemployment compensation program.
Montana is also opting into the Mixed Earner Unemployment Compensation program. This will provide an extra $100 per week to certain self-employed workers not receiving benefits through the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program.
The Montana labor department has issued over $1.1 billion in benefits since the beginning of the pandemic.
