Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowUnemployed Hoosiers can expect to start seeing the additional $300 in federal supplemental weekly benefits in about two weeks, state officials said Wednesday.
Indiana Department of Workforce Development Commissioner Fred Payne said he expects payments from the federal government’s Lost Wages Assistance program to be made starting Sept. 21.
An individual must be receiving at least $100 in weekly state or federal unemployment benefits to be eligible for the additional payment.
President Donald Trump created the program, which is being administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, in an executive order after federal lawmakers failed to come to an agreement on a new pandemic aid program to replace the Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security Act.
The new payment, which will be retroactive to Aug. 1, replaces the $600-a-week unemployment supplement that expired in July and was not extended by Congress.
The $300 payments will more than double Indiana’s average $280 weekly unemployment payment, which has a maximum of $390 a week.
But it’s uncertain how long the additional benefit will last. Several states have already started paying the benefit, and once FEMA has depleted its funding for the program, the benefit will no longer be available.
“We’re making sure that we try to get as many claimants paid and updated as possible,” Payne said. “We’re going to try to address that issue as it arises…. Our goal is to ensure that every Hoosier who is eligible will receive the $300 benefit.”
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It states the $600 a-week unemployment supplement was not extended by Congress. Excuse me, it was not extended because of the Senate. Congress wanted to extend it, but Trump didn’t.
Lorna, that’s not accurate. You might be thinking of the House, which approved a $3 trillion relief package in May, but it was rejected by the Senate. Likewise, the Senate has proposed relief packages that were rejected by the House. Congress is made up of the Senate and House.
Thank you Jeff, my bad!