Louisiana stopped paying the $300 weekly supplement in September 2021

Louisiana, like most states, received federal funding to add $300 per week to regular unemployment payments during the COVID-19 pandemic. This extra money came from the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) program, which Congress authorized in three separate relief packages between March 2020 and December 2020. The state paid it alongside your regular state unemployment benefit, not instead of it.

Governor John Bel Edwards ended the program early on September 5, 2021, about a month before the federal funding was set to expire on September 6. After that date, you received only your regular Louisiana unemployment payment, with no federal supplement added.

If you were receiving unemployment in Louisiana during that time and stopped getting the extra $300, that was the reason. The program is not coming back — the federal authorization expired, and no new legislation has extended it.

Key Takeaways

  • The $300 weekly federal supplement ended in Louisiana on September 5, 2021, and has not been restored.
  • You received only your regular state unemployment benefit after that date, which varies based on your prior earnings and the reason for job loss.
  • If you were overpaid during the FPUC period, Louisiana may have sent you a notice about repayment, but federal law prevents the state from collecting most overpayments that resulted from federal error.
  • Regular Louisiana unemployment benefits are still available if you meet the state's work history and job separation requirements.

How much Louisiana's regular unemployment payment is

Without the federal supplement, your weekly payment depends on your prior wages and how much you earned in the highest-earning quarter of the year before you filed. Louisiana calculates this as roughly 4.33 percent of your highest quarterly earnings, with a minimum of $10 per week and a maximum that changes each year. The maximum for 2024 is $247 per week.

That means most people in Louisiana receive between $50 and $247 per week from the state alone. When the $300 federal supplement was active, your total could have been as high as $547 per week. Now it is only the state amount.

You can see what your specific payment would be by contacting the Louisiana Workforce Commission or reviewing your claim history if you filed during the pandemic.

What happened if you were overpaid during the $300 period

Some people received more than they were may have access to to during the FPUC period because of errors in how the state processed claims, errors in how the federal program was set up, or because they reported income incorrectly. When this happened, Louisiana sent notices asking for repayment.

However, federal law (the CARES Act and subsequent relief legislation) protected most people from having to repay overpayments that resulted from federal error or state error in administering the federal program. If you received a repayment notice and the overpayment was not your fault — meaning you did not intentionally misreport your income or work status — you may have had grounds to dispute it.

If you received such a notice and did not respond, contact the Louisiana Workforce Commission to ask whether the overpayment was waived under federal rules. Bring any documentation showing you reported your situation accurately.

Whether you can still file for regular unemployment in Louisiana

The end of the $300 supplement does not mean unemployment benefits ended. Louisiana's regular state unemployment program is still running. You can file if you lost your job through no fault of your own, worked enough hours in the past year to meet the state's requirement, and are actively looking for work.

Louisiana requires that you earn at least $1,300 in the past 52 weeks and work at least 40 hours in the highest-earning quarter. If you meet those requirements and your job loss was not due to misconduct or voluntary resignation, you may be may have access to to benefits.

The maximum benefit period is 26 weeks of payments, though the actual amount and duration depend on your earnings history. During recessions or periods of high unemployment, Louisiana can extend benefits, but that is not currently in effect.

How to file or check an existing claim

You file for Louisiana unemployment through the Louisiana Workforce Commission website or by phone. If you filed during the pandemic and your claim is still active, you can log in to check your claim status and payment history.

If you are filing now for the first time, you will need your Social Security number, driver's license or state ID, and information about your recent employment — including employer names, dates worked, and reason for separation. The state processes most claims within two to three weeks.

You must also register with the state's job matching system and report that you are actively looking for work. Failing to do so can result in your benefits being stopped.

What to do if you have questions about a past claim

If you filed during the pandemic and have questions about payments you received, overpayment notices, or why your claim ended, contact the Louisiana Workforce Commission directly. They can pull up your claim history and explain what happened.

The phone line for unemployment claims is available during business hours, and you can also submit questions through the website. Have your Social Security number and claim number ready if you have one.

If you received a notice about owing money back and believe it was an error, ask specifically whether the overpayment falls under the federal waiver rules. The state is required to explain this to you if you request it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get the $300 back if I did not receive it?

No. The federal program ended on September 6, 2021, nationwide. If you were not receiving unemployment at that time or your claim was not active, you were not may have access to to the supplement. There is no process to claim it retroactively.

Will Louisiana bring back the $300 supplement if unemployment goes up?

The $300 supplement was a federal program that required Congress to authorize and fund it. Louisiana cannot restart it on its own. No current legislation proposes to bring it back, though Congress could pass new relief in the future if economic conditions change significantly.

What if I was working part-time and still got the $300?

If you were working part-time and earning wages, you may have been overpaid, depending on how much you earned. Louisiana requires you to report all income. If you reported it correctly and still received the $300, the overpayment was likely the state's or federal system's error, and you may not owe it back under federal waiver rules.

How do I know if my overpayment was waived?

Contact the Louisiana Workforce Commission and ask them to review your account. They can tell you whether an overpayment was waived under federal rules or whether you still owe it. Request a written explanation if the answer is unclear.

Can I appeal if Louisiana says I owe money back?

Yes. You have the right to request a hearing before an administrative law judge. The state must tell you how to request a hearing in any notice they send you. You can argue that the overpayment was due to federal or state error, or that you reported your situation accurately.