$300 unemployment benefits: will they be paid in August?
The coronavirus pandemic has impacted the lives of Americans and to ease the burden the federal government is providing supplemental payments for lost wages.
As of 23 August, 13 states had approved an extra $300 a week in unemployment benefits as part of president Donald Trump’s executive order that was signed on 8 August. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has $44 billion to fund the states who want to give weekly unemployment benefits.
Once the states decide to give an extra $300 in benefits it will take at least three weeks to start rolling out according to the new guidance from FEMA. The White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow told CNN that payments could take a couple of weeks.
States have to apply
If the states want to give the extra $300 a week in unemployment benefits they must formally apply and outline how they plan to make the payment. Once they are approved the funding will be available within one business day. FEMA explained that after Trump’s order was signed, the first round of states started receiving the aid by 14 August.
According to the Department of Labor, those states approved earliest began administering the extra payments from 29 August. The federal government is providing $300 per week per person and it is up to each state if they want, and are able, to give an extra $100 to aid people during the coronavirus pandemic.