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Updated: Where, oh where is $400 unemployment boost? RI didn’t apply – until now.
UPDATE: 5pm, Thursday, Aug. 21st: The Governor’s office has now announced it will now apply for the supplemental funds for those on unemployment.
This week, on Wednesday, Governor Raimondo replied to questions asking when Rhode Islanders who are on unemployment would receive the extra $400 approved by the President – replacing the $600 extra that ended. With congress at a stalemate on extending the extra benefits, on August 12th, guidelines were released of President Trump’s Executive Order providing $400 while Congress figured out what to do. $100 would be assumed by the state and $300 by the federal government, under FEMA. The $100 could be paid back to the states from their CARES Act funds, already received, and of which many states had not dispersed completely.
The Governor said she didn’t know anything about how to get the state on this program. Saying the state hadn’t applied because there is no application or direction. Reporters clarified what is happening in other states, a few, such as Arizona, are already dispersing the needed funds to those on unemployment. The Governor seemed surprised to hear that and said she would look into it further. (Update: At 5pm 8-20, after this original publication, the state announced it was applying)
At the press conference this week:
First reporter questioning the Governor is Kim Kalunian, WPRI. WPRI is running a feature on their website for Rhode Islanders to write in with their questions on unemployment.
Second reporter, who has been asking about this, and other unemployment concerns for several weeks, is Pat Ford, The Coalition Talk Radio (www.facebook.com/TheCoalitionRadio)
What the US Department of Labor says:
The U.S. Department of Labor released guidance to help states implement the Lost Wages Assistance (LWA) program. LWA is authorized by Presidential Memorandum and provides claimants in most Unemployment Insurance (UI) programs up to $400 per week additional benefits, starting with weeks of unemployment ending on or after Aug. 1, 2020, and ending Dec. 27, 2020 at the latest.
LWA will be administered by states and territories through a grant agreement with FEMA and with support from the Labor Department.
To qualify for LWA benefits, individuals must be certified by their state as qualifying for unemployment caused by COVID-19), and the state must confirm that the individual is receiving at least $100 of underlying unemployment benefits.
The joint federal-state agreement provides states with two benefit options. For the $400 per week benefit, states must contribute 25 percent ($100) and the federal government will cover 75 percent of the cost ($300). States are encouraged to allocate this through the Coronavirus Relief Funds (CRF), provided under the CARES Act or other state funding. For the $300 per week benefit, FEMA will fund the entire amount and states may choose to simply satisfy the 25 percent state match, without allocating additional state funds, with the state funding used to pay regular state UI unemployment benefits.
Saying the program is another tangible example of the Administration’s commitment to helping Americans during these challenging times, the department did note that the program could end earlier than Dec. 27 if FEMA expends $44 billion prior or the balance of the Disaster Relief Fund decreases to $25 billion.
It would also end if legislation is enacted that provides, due to the COVID-19 outbreak, supplemental federal unemployment compensation or similar compensation for unemployed or underemployed individuals.
Here are links to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Unemployment Insurance Program Letter 27-20.
More info for Rhode Island to use in applying for these funds:
https://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?docn=7859
https://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?DOCN=4387
Other states are doing it:
As of this writing we know of 11 other states that have applied and been approved to offer the extra $300 ($400) weekly unemployment benefits.
Applying almost immediately were:
Arizona
Colorado
Idaho
Iowa
Louisiana
Maryland
Missouri
Montana
New Mexico
Oklahoma
Utah
South Dakota is the only state to decline assistance.
Some states – Rhode Island seems included in this – haven’t yet committed to offering the $300 federal subsidy. Officials have cited cost, legal and administrative concerns. Those states, to date, are California, Delaware, Florida, Kentucky, Mississippi, New Jersey and New York.
Alaska’s application is in process.
FEMA has a website which is updated with states’ approvals – Rhode Island is not on this list with any activity – check back, here: website .
This extra payment, by Executive Order, began on August 1st and is scheduled to end on December 27th – it can be paid to individuals retroactively, once the states begin the program.