Oklahoma Governor Asks for FEMA Lost Wages Assistance

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  • Oklahoma Governor Asks for FEMA Lost Wages Assistance
    Oklahoma Governor Asks for FEMA Lost Wages Assistance
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The governor’s office announced Aug. 17 the state has sent in its grant application to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for the Lost Wages Assistance Program, or LWA.

That program has been authorized by the president to provide an additional $300 per week in benefits to each approved claimant beginning with the week of Aug. 1 and continuing through the end of December. The LWA was approved by the federal administration when a new federal stimulus package with renewal of the $600 per week unemployment addendum did not win approval through Congress.

"As we are months ahead of other states in our recovery and Oklahoma is open for business, many Oklahomans have returned to work or are in training to take on a new career. However, we also want to continue to help those who are still working to secure employment," said Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt. "The teams at the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission and the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management have submitted the FEMA grant application to begin the process to allow the state to provide $300 in weekly benefits under the Lost Wages Assistance program announced by Trump."

If the grant is approved, FEMA will pay the $300 per week benefit, while Oklahoma meets its 25% match in monies already going to claimants.

"With the FEMA application submitted, we will now wait to hear back on the application and begin the process of executing on the federal benefit amount for eligible claimants," said Oklahoma Employment Security Commission Interim Executive Director Shelley Zumwalt.

Zumwalt pointed out, though, that making the adjustments quickly was going to be a challenge for her agency given its outdated computer and technology systems. No matter when the funds become available and are processed, she said, they will be retroactive to Aug. 1, meaning there could be larger, lumpsum payments on the front end of the program.

To qualify for LWA benefits, residents will have to show proof they were unemployed or partially unemployed because of the Coronavirus pandemic and the state must be able to prove the recipient is eligible for at least $100 of unemployment benefits from the state unemployment agency.

For more information go to https://oesc.ok.gov/

Connie Burcham can be reached at Editor@WatongaRepublican.com