FEMA ends extra $300 weekly benefit for unemployed workers
The additional $300 weekly benefit for workers unemployed due to COVID-19 ended last week, the state Department of Labor & Industry announced Thursday.
Labor & Industry Secretary Jerry Oleksiak received notification from the Federal Emergency Management Agency late Wednesday that the Lost Wages Assistance (LWA) program – which provided the extra $300 weekly benefit to unemployed workers – ended Sept. 5. No other unemployment benefits programs are affected.
“Although the LWA program has ended, L&I will continue paying eligible claimants retroactively for claim weeks between Aug. 1 and Sept. 5,” Oleksiak said. “We will continue making these payments until the funding we’ve already received from FEMA for this program is depleted. I urge anyone who is partially or fully unemployed because of COVID-19 and hasn’t yet applied for LWA benefits to do so right away.”
Eligible claimants need to apply for LWA benefits. Claimants who have already applied for LWA could begin receiving the extra $300 weekly benefit as early as Sept. 14. After benefits are paid from a qualifying program to an individual for any of the approved dates, the LWA payment will follow one week later if the individual has already completed the LWA application.
Individuals who may be eligible for LWA but have not yet received payment for an approved week from a qualifying program should still apply as soon as possible. At the time benefits are paid from a qualifying program to an individual for any of the approved dates, the LWA payment will follow one week later if the individual has already completed the LWA certification.
For updates on the LWA program, visit www.uc.pa.gov or follow L&I on Facebook or Twitter.