Beginning next week, the week of July 5-11, 2020, unemployed workers that wish to continue to receive unemployment benefits (including the $600 federal supplement through July 25, 2020) will once again be required to perform work search activities. The work search activity requirement set out by law had been previously lifted for those that had filed a coronavirus-related unemployment claim.

Work search activities are required for programs including regular Unemployment Insurance (UI), Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), Extended Benefits (EB), and Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (PEUC).

A work search activity is an attempt made to obtain employment or to resume work. Three work search activities are required to be completed for each week for which an individual requests payment unless they are in approved training, have a definite recall date from an employer, or are part of a Shared Work Program.

Examples of work search activities include, but are not limited to, accessing and searching for work on MOJobs, participating in a Missouri Job Center workshop, attending a job interview or job fair as well as completing online applications. Work search activities for those individuals who are self-employed and on the PUA program may call on clients, submit bids or proposals, or attend training. For more examples and details about fulfilling work search activity requirements, claimants are encouraged to visit labor.mo.gov/required-work-search.

Individuals should make sure their work search activity record is up to date in uinteract.labor.mo.gov. Individuals may enter their work search activities during the week or when filing their Weekly Request for Payment. Failure to complete three (3) work search activities may result in the termination of benefits.

Through the Missouri Job Centers, unemployed Missourians now have free access to 3,800 courses to help develop their knowledge and skills to become re-employed. To sign up for the online Coursera classes, Missourians need to have an account in the MoJobs system. Missourians can create a login at jobs.mo.gov. MoJobs users will have access to a link within the site to receive an invitation from Coursera. The process should only take two business days to get registered. Missourians must be registered within Coursera by September 30, 2020, to take advantage of this offer. Courses need to be completed by December 31, 2020, in order to receive the credential or certificate at no cost.

Additionally, the Job Centers are hosting two virtual job fairs to be held on July 22 and August 5.  Interested job seekers can sign up at jobs.mo.gov/seeker-virtual-job-fair-registration.

For questions regarding Missouri unemployment, please utilize the DES virtual assistant at labor.mo.gov and visit labor.mo.gov/coronavirus. Claimants are encouraged to visit labor.mo.gov/required-work-search for details on acceptable work search activities.