FEMA OKs extra $300 per week for Hoosiers on unemployment due to COVID-19
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency on Friday night announced Indiana has been approved for a grant under the FEMA Lost Wages Supplemental Payment Assistance program.
FEMA’s grant funding will allow Indiana to provide $300 per week — on top of their regular unemployment benefit — to those unemployed due to COVID-19.
FEMA will work with Gov. Eric Holcomb to implement a system to make this funding available to Indiana residents.
Fred Payne, commissioner of the Indiana Department of Workforce Development, said Wednesday the program will take some before it’s functional. He said his department must build a new system with new infrastructure to pay the additional $300 per week.
Previous coverage is below.
Indiana awaits OK for jobless to get extra $300 from federal unemployment funds
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Gov. Eric Holcomb announced Wednesday the state has applied for additional unemployment assistance under an executive order from President Donald Trump to provide relief during the coronavirus pandemic.
If approved, qualifying unemployed Hoosiers would get an extra $300 per week, but it could take several weeks before any jobless applicants see that money.
Trump originally said states that applied for the federal assistance program would have to put a $100 matching benefit. Holcomb said Indiana would not be providing the additional $100.
Fred Payne, commissioner of the Indiana Department of Workforce Development, said, if approved, this program will take some before it’s functional.
“This is also another federal program, but this program is actually run through FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) not necessarily the U.S. Department of Labor. So it’s going to take a little extra effort on our part in terms of moving staff to build a new system and that system requires us to look at some new infrastructure,” Payne said.
Payne said FEMA set aside roughly $45 billion to fund the national program and, with more states applying to receive the funds, how long the money will last is a concern.
“This program will continue based on the first of three things happening. Either, one, the funding is deplete; two, Congress enacts legislation that supercedes it; or three, the total amount of funding for disaster relief reaches about $25 billion. The first of any one of those things that occurs will end the program,” Payne said.
Kathleen Furgason lives in a neighborhood off Allisonville Road on the northeast side. Based on unemployment claims, the neighborhood is one of the hardest-hit areas in Indianapolis for joblessness. Furgason said she has never had to apply for unemployment personally, but she is helping out her sister who relies on it to get by.
“She’s got bills to pay, and this just isn’t covering it,” Furgason said.
Furgason is really starting to worry after finding out it could be even longer before she gets her next expanded check. She is making arrangements to continue helping her sister, but she worries about others who aren’t so lucky.
“Not everybody has friends and family to rely on, and that just makes me sad,” Furgason said.
The most recent federal numbers from June had Indiana with more than 380,000 people unemployed and the unemployment rate at 11.2%. New figures are set to be released Friday.