The Georgia Department of Labor is scheduled to release another round of federal funding next week.
The department is issuing the first round of Lost Wages Assistance, or LWA, funds early next week. Those who qualify for the supplemental payments will receive an additional $300 weekly along with regular unemployment benefits.
The money will be distributed in batches, the first batch early next week is for three weeks of $300 each, or $900. The second batch will be for the remaining three weeks. The benefits are for the weeks ending August 1st through September 5th.
FEMA is providing the money through its Disaster Relief Fund. All states are limited to six weeks of benefits. The Georgia Department of Labor was approved for all six weeks of LWA benefits. According to a release from the department, the GDOL has paid more than $13 billion in state and federal benefits since the pandemic began in mid-March.
“We understood the President’s Executive Order was contingent upon the availability of funds,” said Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler. “Although the six weeks of benefits wasn’t what many had hoped for, the additional support will make a big difference to some struggling to avoid eviction.”
Eligibility for the LWA Program is based upon an individual's weekly benefit determination – an amount calculated by a claimant's reported wages. Individuals must have received a weekly benefit amount determination of at least $100 to be eligible for LWA supplemental benefits. He/she must also be unemployed or partially unemployed due to disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
To check eligibility, claimants should visit their My U.I. portal where they will use a link to attest to the reason for their unemployment. Individuals whose employers have filed on their behalf or those who are receiving benefits through Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) do not need to attest their reason for unemployment due to weekly certification that addresses this requirement. Only those with an individually filed claim will need to do so.
For more information, visit agency's webpage at dol.georgia.gov.
