10 states are offering or planning to offer a top up to unemployment benefits.
The President recently signed an executive action to restart additional unemployment benefits, after the $600 PUA top-up expired at the end of July.
The funds for the additional benefits are coming from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), under a program called Lost Wages Assistance (LWA). States had to opt into the program, and those that did are now facing challenges in implementing this new payment. Here’s our full list of all the states that are offering this new benefit, and other factors you may need to know.
How much is the new LWA top-up?
$300 per week. States have the option of providing an extra $100, making it a $400 weekly top-up. But the extra $100 needs to come from state funds, and many states have stated that it would cost too much.
The top-up will be retroactive to August 1, 2020. That means even if you are now employed and no longer collecting unemployment benefits, you may be eligible for a LWA top-up payment for the period between August 1st and the day you regained employment.