ATLANTA — A grant under the Lost Wages Assistance program will give a little boost to Georgia residents receiving unemployment due to COVID-19.
FEMA’s grant funding will allow Georgia to provide an extra $300 per week -- on top of their regular unemployment benefit.
It was approved by FEMA Administrator Pete Gaynor. FEMA said they will work with Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp to implement a system to make the funding available to residents in the state.
“This news is truly life-changing for hardworking Georgians in every part of our state, and we deeply appreciate the Trump administration’s leadership to help us provide timely unemployment assistance to families weathering the economic impact of this pandemic,” Gov. Kemp said.
On Aug. 8, President Donald Trump made available up to $44 billion from FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund to provide financial assistance to Americans who have lost wages due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The Georgia Department of Labor will deliver a system meeting the new FEMA guidelines to process these weekly supplements as quickly as possible,” said Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler. “We will continue to work with the US Department of Labor, FEMA, and Governor Kemp’s office to provide financial support for Georgians during this pandemic.”
To be eligible, you must have received a weekly benefit amount determination of at least $100. You must also be unemployed or partially unemployed due to disruptions caused by COVID-19 pandemic.
You do not need to call or apply separately for this benefit, the Department of Labor said, and more information is available on their webpage.
“In the coming days and weeks, we will continue to work closely with our federal partners to ensure economic stability in every region and protect the lives and livelihoods of Georgians,” Kemp said.
To learn more about FEMA’s lost wages supplemental payment assistance, visit their website.