Washington state to apply to federal government for $300-per-week unemployment benefit
The Employment Security Department said Thursday it will apply to the federal government for the $300-per-week unemployment benefit.
The agency said in a press release that it would apply to the Federal Emergency Management Administration for the Lost Wages Assistance program “no later than” Friday, Aug. 21.
“Upon approval, this will allow ESD to provide an additional $300 per week for three weeks to those who have lost work due to the COVID-19 crisis and are receiving unemployment benefits,” the release said.
“Lost Wages Assistance is a temporary emergency measure to provide additional unemployment benefits to eligible claimants. It is not the same as the additional $600 per week that was available under the specific CARES Act provision called the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC), which expired at the end of July.”
The release went on to say that the program has different eligibility requirements, and “is drawn from a limited pool of money from FEMA to be shared among all states that apply and are approved.”
President Donald Trump signed a memorandum Aug. 8 that authorized the program.
Employment Security Commissioner Suzi LeVine said in a statement: “We will implement this as quickly as possible to distribute the extra payments to Washingtonians once our application is approved. Any additional funds to help unemployed workers are welcome – and we estimate that this will provide more than $400 million to families, individuals and our state’s economy.
“It is important, however, to emphasize that this benefit is currently time-limited to those filing claims over a three-week period, between July 26 and Aug. 15, 2020, and not everyone who has filed an unemployment claim will be eligible. We will continue to work with FEMA and the U.S. Department of Labor to pursue any additional funds for Washingtonians that may remain after the initial three-week period of benefits are distributed.”
Gov. Jay Inslee suggested earlier in the day at a virtual press conference that the state might be close to submitting an application.
“This will only last as long as the federal emergency relief that has previously been appropriated ... “ he cautioned. “The states cannot afford this program after the federal benefit lapses.”
Inslee argued the money is “less than half what people need,” and that the government should continue the $600-per-week supplement workers had been getting until late July.
“We really need the federal government to continue in its responsibility to working people in our state and across the country and they need to continue the $600 benefit that has previously been provided for folks caught in the throes of this pandemic,” he said.
“But unfortunately, in the face of intransigence from the United States Senate and the White House, at the moment that is likely not to proceed and that is extremely disappointing. We would like to see continued pressure on the U.S. Senate to act. This is not the moment to cut in half the benefits that these hardworking people are receiving. It’s not fair to their families and it’s not good for the economy to take these revenues away from families right now.”
Inslee also spoke about some positive signs state health officials are seeing with regard to the coronavirus pandemic.
“I am cautiously pleased to tell you that we have seen a decline in diagnosed cases in the last two weeks,” he said.
The governor noted that the target is 25 cases per 100,000 people during a two-week period, and that the state is still about four times that at 110.
“We have to be honest with ourselves to realize that we are so far away from success on this that we have to remain incredibly diligent,” he said.
This story was originally published August 20, 2020 at 12:16 PM.
