LANSING, MI (WHTC-AM/FM) — State officials announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved a request for $300 per week extra payments to unemployed Michigan residents.
“This is good news for the thousands of Michiganders who are still without work as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, but it’s still a short term band aid that falls short of what’s needed,” said Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. “We need the president, Mitch McConnell, and Congress to put partisanship aside and pass a bipartisan recovery package that will help us save lives and get people back on their feet. Michigan families, frontline workers, and small business owners are counting on the federal government to do the right thing and work together on their behalf.”
State UIA officials estimate that about 910,000 Michigan residents will benefit from this program, which supplements state payments.
The program allows for existing Unemployment Trust Fund payments delivered by Michigan’s Unemployment Insurance Agency to count as 25 percent matching funds required for this federal program.
People on unemployment and eligible for this befit get payments retroactive to Aug. 1. State officials indicated it it unclear how long the FEMA funding will last.
“This additional $300 a week will provide some much needed support to those who are still struggling to make ends meet during this time of extreme need,” said Steve Gray, the Unemployment Insurance Agency’s director. “Our goal now is to work as quickly as possible to implement this new program to get people the benefits they need.”
People getting unemployment insurance checks do not have to take any special action to get the $300 have to take any action to receive the additional benefit amount provided by the program. The additional benefits will be added automatically for all claimants who are eligible to receive at least $100 in weekly unemployment benefit payments. This includes claimants receiving any type of regular unemployment insurance benefits as well as those receiving Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) benefits.
(reporting from Peg McNichol)
