Today’s entry: Florida is ready to begin paying out Trump’s extra $300 weekly in unemployment. Did the state opt-in for the extra $100 that was being talked about? I’m not sure I understand what the total weekly payout will be.
Bottom Line: This is a question that has come up a few times recently and it’s understandable why you’d be confused. There are many moving pieces and variables that come into play including, why one is unemployed, when the eligibility period opened up, how much each state’s usual benefits happen to be, how much money one is receiving in unemployment weekly, and whether a state opted-in for an extra $100 weekly. Let’s take this from the top.
First, let's look at who's eligible for supplemental unemployment benefits under President Trump’s Lost Wages Assistance program. Those unemployed due specifically to COVID-19 related furloughs/layoffs as of August 1st or later and those who are eligible for Florida unemployment benefits as of August 1st or later, who were eligible for at least $100 weekly in Florida benefits.
The program, like the first round of unemployment supplemental payments, is being handled through the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity. In order to receive the Lost Wages supplemental money, one must be in a state who requested the program and was approved, Florida did and is. Furthermore, you must be eligible for at least $100 in weekly unemployment benefits through the FDEO.
Now, let's look at how much you’ll be eligible to receive. The Lost Wages program will pay $300 weekly for up to six weeks backdated to August 1st for a total benefit of $1,800. The total maximum weekly benefit of $575 for Floridians for up to six weeks.
As of now, only three states are scheduled to pay an extra $100 at the state level in addition to these benefits. Florida isn’t one of them. That supplemental extra hundred has commonly been confused with the eligibility threshold to qualify for these supplemental payouts. Hopefully, this made it easier to understand. Like almost all things that involve government, especially at multiple levels, the program sounds complicated but really isn’t once you’re aware of exactly what it means to you.
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