Jason Delgado
Floridians on unemployment will continue to receive an extra $300 weekly from the Federal Lost Wages Assistance (LWA) program for a fourth consecutive week, the Orlando Sentinel reported Monday.
The LWA program, which is funded by the FEMA disaster relief fund, was expected to run out of money near its third week. It now, however, will be extended for an additional week.
In a statement by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) said Floridians can expect that money this week. The DEO also warned that this will likely be the benefit’s final week.
To qualify for the federal boost, the claimant must be receiving at least $100 weekly in an approved Reemployment Assistance program assistance. The claimant must also certify that they are unemployed or partially unemployed because of COVID-19.
Eligible Floridians will receive the additional dollars without any secondary applications, similar to the COVID-19 stimulus checks. The federal benefit is retroactive to Aug. 1.
While the extra dollars come as a relief for many Floridians, economic hardship remains a reality for many more.
According to data from the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, the state has logged 3.88 million total claims for pandemic jobless assistance in the past week, up about 70,000 claims over the previous week. Of those, 3.72 million were unique jobless claims, meaning they were not duplicates.
In all, $14.89 billion has been paid since the COVID-19 outbreak.
The LWA program was created by President Donald Trump. Gov. Ron DeSantis applauded the program when Florida received federal approval.
“We thank President Trump and the Federal Emergency Management Agency for providing this relief to Floridians during this time of need,” DeSantis said in early September. “These additional funds will provide critical support to Florida’s unemployed workforce due to COVID-19.”
More information on LWA is available online.
18 comments
Sammy
September 15, 2020 at 2:53 pm
I have been eligible for the PEUC and been receiving well over $100 per week, however, I have yet to get an LWA payment and I have been told by DEO there isn’t anything pending yet for me. There are many who are in the same situation as I am. How can we get more clarity?
Tamara
September 16, 2020 at 9:55 am
I haven’t gotten no extra 300 hundred at all.. All i get is regular benefits. And that’s 234 a week and it doesn’t come every week. This system that you guys have going is not working.
Frank
September 16, 2020 at 10:50 am
STILL waiting for my claim date change that I have entitlement to for the weeks of MARCH 29 thru June 21! And that’s for the $600 week benefit signed by the President in the Cares Act and the date change approved by our Governor. Only for 3.5 months told their working on it. Looking like I gonna be forced to get a lawyer now I’m HUNGRY!! Errrrr then the 300 from President takes away what the state pays meaning it’s not an additional it is just the 300 paid WTH?? Need action now from our Governor
Rachel Barnes
September 16, 2020 at 2:39 pm
My husband haven’t received no deo for 8weeks and is eligible last 600 and no 300 at all we living on a prayer 2 car notes, saving almost to hit the bottom and is eligible forevery thing. thank God for life, laid since March 08,2020 no one is hiring.
Maki Davis
September 16, 2020 at 6:46 pm
Everyone is hiring it just matters if your qualified
Thomas Fink
September 16, 2020 at 9:07 pm
I’ve been waiting for my effective 2 change 2 I’ve been waiting two months you’re not going to screw me
Ms.Leen
September 17, 2020 at 10:39 am
Frank, I understand completely where youre coming from. I too had applied on March 15th and I had to wait five months before I got all my backpay. They told me the same thing tbey told you too. I literally was on the phone with them on an every day basis and I wouldnt let up. Keep calling them and don’t give up. Hopefully soon you’ll get your money and that’s including the $600 as well. And once you get it it will be in a lump sum. So don’t give up faith.
Debra Messinger
September 16, 2020 at 11:36 am
There’s a shame that the people who needed the most can I get the extra $300 a week if you make less than $100 a week from the unemployment you are not included to get this money which is a crying shame cuz there a lot of people who only worked a part-time job and only made very little money they should have been included in this package. Shame Shame Shame. They need to be included they need the money the most
Debra
September 16, 2020 at 11:42 am
The government needs to get off its butt and get this package relief for the unemployed. We are suffering out here we didn’t ask to be laid off or put on furlough all fired or anything else. This should not be used for political gain you are to be working for the American people so let’s do right for the American people. If you can pass bills to save the post office or small business or anything else you can surely has to build to help the people that needed the most who in fact put you in office to do that very same thing.
Brus Echevarría
September 16, 2020 at 12:07 pm
Si fema sice que son seis semanas de desempleo para todos los estados por que florida solo pagara 4 semanas?
Karen
September 16, 2020 at 2:25 pm
What the governor needs to do is extend the unemployment given the pandemic and how hard it is to look for work even if workforce is slowly reopening.. at least this Florida can be eligible to get additional 2 weeks, with a total of 6 weeks, like the rest of the other states. With so many people out of work, you’d think that Desantis could extend the unemployment at least temporarily…
Sophia Martin
September 16, 2020 at 6:58 pm
Hello.. unfortunately that isn’t the case here.. why we don’t qualify for the other 2 weeks like the rest of the other states, because we are the lowest paid unemployment in the country and we do not meet the standards for FEMA to distribute the money to Florida.. Thinking that we are a tourist state you think we would get more. We could apply for other benefits but there saying Florida has already relied on to many government funds as is. So we’re at a stand still at this point. All we can do is pray that something will soon come alone. Stay safe
Vickie Wright
September 16, 2020 at 3:00 pm
Yeah I was supposed to get the $300 as well and now I’m homeless. I’m waiting for that $300 and when I called today after being on the phone for 2.5 hours they tell me it could be up to 4 weeks. I’m like excuse me I’m living in my car with my dog. I can’t go nowhere because they won’t allow my dog. I told the lady I started a new job on the 21st and I would love to shower and she tells me to go to the canal. I bet I do go to some muddy canal to take me a bath.
Vickie Wright
September 16, 2020 at 3:02 pm
I only owe $400 on my car and it’s in repo because I can get my extra $300 to even pay $20 on my car.
Manny
September 16, 2020 at 3:33 pm
I was receiving $98 a week so got cut off of $300 by $2. $2 cost me $300. How do you like that?? My family and I are barely and I mean barely getting thanks to $2. What’s next??!!
Manuel Vega
September 17, 2020 at 8:51 pm
Manny I missed it by 3 dollars. I have been saving everything from since they were giving the 600 a week but that money doesn’t last forever I have been doing yard work etc to even try to help pay bills since its just me and my mom. This whole thing is insane dumb minimum of 100$ this world is so shit.
Karinna Hotel Uludağ
September 16, 2020 at 5:34 pm
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Noe
September 16, 2020 at 8:55 pm
Sad, sad,sad. People should get paid just for having to navigate through the f-n REO online process.
Comments are closed.