Skip to main content
Find a Lawyer
Please enter a legal issue and/or a location
Begin typing to search, use arrow keys to navigate, use enter to select

Find a Lawyer

More Options

These CARES Act Benefits Are Going Away Soon

Adult women men children Diverse crowd of people wearing medical masks pattern background. Protection and precention coronavirus infection. Map of USA Line drawing doodle vector illustration poster
By Andrew Leonatti | Last updated on

This post was updated on December 8, 2020.

When Congress passed the Coronavirus, Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act back in March, most lawmakers and the general public thought it was necessary legislation for a temporary problem.

But now it's December, the pandemic is still raging out of control, and many of the programs created as part of the CARES Act are expiring at the end of the year. Millions of Americans remain jobless, and crucial lifelines are about to be taken away if Congress and the White House cannot agree on new aid.

Millions to Lose Unemployment Benefits

The CARES Act was unusually generous in granting an extra $600 a week for four months — on top of normal unemployment benefits — and relaxed rules to allow benefits to gig workers and independent contractors. The $600 Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program expired in July.

Now, approximately 12 million workers face a devastating "cliff" on December 26 if Congress does not act. That includes gig workers in the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program and workers in the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) program.

The PEUC provides an extra 13 weeks of unemployment benefits after a worker exhausts their state benefits. The hard cutoff in the CARES Act means those in the middle of receiving that additional coverage will not be able to continue for a full 13 weeks. Those benefits will simply stop.

Other Benefits Set to Expire

While the unemployment benefits are getting the most attention, there are several other benefits set to expire that will affect people facing financial struggles:

What Can You Do?

If you are worried about losing any benefits under the CARES Act, the first thing you can do is contact your representatives and senators in Congress. It is your right to let them know how you feel.

The next thing you should do, whether you need eviction or foreclosure relief, student loan relief, or unemployment benefits you are entitled to, is talk with an attorney about your options. Even if additional unemployment benefits expire, for example, there may be other ways for you to use the legal system to address financial problems.

Related Resources:

Was this helpful?

You Don’t Have To Solve This on Your Own – Get a Lawyer’s Help

Meeting with a lawyer can help you understand your options and how to best protect your rights. Visit our attorney directory to find a lawyer near you who can help.

Or contact an attorney near you:
Copied to clipboard