If you are drawing unemployment in Michigan and were praying for that extra $300 from the federal government that the Whitmer Administration sought on your behalf earlier this week, your prayers have been answered. Plus, you won’t even have to do anything to get those extra dollars.
Today, the United States Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) approved the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency’s application for funding that will provide an additional $300 per week payment to Michiganders receiving unemployment benefits.
Gov. Whitmer says, “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.” She contends, “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.”
The UIA estimates that under the program, about 910,000 Michiganders would receive at least $300 per week in supplemental benefits. 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 participation. Eligible claimants will be paid benefits retroactive to August 1st, however it is unclear at this time how long funding for the program will last.
Steve Gray, Director of the Unemployment Insurance Agency, says, “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,” and concludes, “Our goal now is to work as quickly as possible to implement this new program to get people the benefits they need.”
At this time, claimants do not 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. That includes claimants receiving any type of regular unemployment insurance benefits as well as those receiving Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) benefits.
