UPDATE, April 6: The federal pandemic compensation program is providing an additional $600 a week to laid-off and furloughed workers retroactive to the week of March 29. The extra payments are expected to begin going out the week of April 12.

More than 100,000 Missourians were among 6.6 million Americans filing unemployment claims last week — a “record-smashing” total as the pandemic-driven shutdown of businesses and services rocks the country.

The Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations reported Thursday that more than 89,000 of some 104,000 unemployment claims were COVID-19 related for the week ending March 28.

The best way to file a claim is to do it online at: UInteract.labor.mo.gov.

The department said that staff is working overtime and hired temporary workers to try to speed processing of claims as the state waits guidance from the federal government on when and how it can begin distributing individual $600 supplements that were included in the $2 trillion relief package passed by Congress last week.

The state’s labor department also is increasing its server capacity to handle what it said has been an overwhelming number of calls.

The state asked all those who can to use the online portal to help ease the overload on calls.

“Our staff is taking an unprecedented number of phone calls, but many calls are related to questions and new law changes and not the filing of a claim,” said Chris Slinkard, director of the department’s Division of Employment Security in a written statement. “This consumes precious staff time and blocks assistance to those who need to file a claim, but do not have access to the internet.”

The state is still waiting on guidance from the federal government on federal relief funding benefits. Updates will be made available on the state labor department’s coronavirus information page at labor.mo.gov/coronavirus. 

“We understand that everyone is anxious about what this means for them in terms of being eligible if you are self-employed or when a claimant might expect to receive the $600 supplement,” Slinkard said. “Since the program is fully federally funded, (the state) must wait for the guidance issued by the US Department of Labor to properly administer and receive the funding for the program. Trying to do this before we receive the federal guidance, could cost the State and the employers millions of dollars.”

“We expect this guidance very soon,” he said, “and like thousands of Missourians, we’re anxiously awaiting word from our federal partners so that we can provide the new benefits as quickly as possible.”