LANSING, Mich. (WSYM) — On Friday, the United States Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) approved the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency’s application for funding to provide an additional $300 per week payment for Michiganders who are currently receiving unemployment benefits, Governor Whitmer’s office announced in a news release.
“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 Governor 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.”
The UIA has estimated that under the program, about 910,000 Michiganders would receive at least $300 per week in supplemental benefits. The program also allows for existing Unemployment Trust Fund payments to be delivered by Michigan’s Unemployment Insurance Agency to count as 25% matching funds required for participation.
People who are eligible for the claims will be paid benefits retroactive to August 1.
It is not clear for now how long funding for the program 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, Director of the Unemployment Insurance Agency. “Our goal now is to work as quickly as possible to implement this new program to get people the benefits they need.”
Currently, claimants don’t 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.
