Gov. Reeves says Mississippi will no longer receive additional federal unemployment benefits

Governor Tate Reeves announced Monday that he has informed the Department of Employment security to direct the Biden administration that Mississippi will opt out of additional federal unemployment benefits.

“The purpose of unemployment benefits is to temporarily assist Mississippians who are unemployed through no fault of their own,” Reeves said.  “After many conversations over the last several weeks with Mississippi small business owners and their employees, it has become clear that the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) and other like programs passed by the Congress may have been necessary in May of last year but are no longer so in May of this year.”

The governor intends to terminate the delivery of additional benefits as early as federal law allows, which is June 12.  He also directed MDES to resume enforcement of all eligibility requirements that were in place before the pandemic.

“It has become clear to me that we cannot have a full economic recovery until we get the thousands of available jobs in our state filled,” Reeves said.  “Mississippi is open for business!”