PA To Opt In To Federal $300 Per Week Unemployment Program

HARRISBURG, PA — Gov. Tom Wolf has decided Pennsylvania will opt in to a federal temporary Lost Wages Assistance program to provide an additional $300 per week in supplemental payments.

Wolf said Friday he has directed the Department of Labor & Industry to submit an application for the program. In doing so, he called it "not a true unemployment insurance program" and called on Congress to pass a more permanent aid package.

“The president’s convoluted, short-term program, which will likely only provide payments for five or six weeks, will pay those who are eligible only half as much as before and will make 30,000 Pennsylvanians ineligible to continue receiving an additional weekly benefit," Wolf said.

Last week, the Governor sent a letter to Pennsylvania’s congressional delegation reaffirming his support for an extension of the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program. With Senate Republicans failing to pass a bill continuing the compensation program, President Trump on Aug. 8 authorized the Lost Wages Assistance plan.

The Lost Wages Assistance program will utilize $44 billion from the Federal Emergency Management Agency previously intended for storm disaster relief. "Because of this very important distinction, payments to eligible workers will be delayed while states, including Pennsylvania, create a new computer system," Wolf said.

If approved, Pennsylvania will provide an additional $300 per week in assistance payments to people receiving unemployment compensation benefits due to COVID-19-related impacts.

In order to qualify for the extra $300, eligible individuals must receive at least $100 per week in regular Unemployment Compensation; Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation; Pandemic Unemployment Assistance; Extended Benefits; Short-Time Compensation or Shared Work; and Trade Readjustment Allowance and must self-certify that they are unemployed or partially unemployed due to disruptions caused by COVID-19.

Payments will be made to eligible claimants retroactively from Aug. 1.

Wolf warned the payments could end "in a matter of weeks" if FEMA funding is exhausted.