Weekly $300 Lost Wages Assistance Payment : Your Questions Answered
प्रकाशित मिति : भाद्र ३१, २०७७ बुधबार
Q: IS THE LOST WAGES ASSISTANCE (LWA) PROGRAM FOR NEW YORKERS RECEIVING TRADITIONAL UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE (UI) OR PANDEMIC UNEMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE (PUA)?
A: Both traditional UI and PUA recipients may be eligible for additional benefits under the LWA program. The DOL is actively working to administer this program, including how to certify your eligibility for these additional benefits. We will notify claimants directly if they must take any action to certify and receive these additional benefits.
Q: WHEN WILL I GET MY MONEY?
A: New York State will begin administering the payments the week of September 14th. There is no need to call the DOL at this time — we will contact claimants with additional information. In the meantime, per federal law please continue to certify weekly to ensure you receive all benefits to which you are entitled.
Q: IF MY WEEKLY BENEFIT IS LESS THAN $100 BECAUSE OF TAXES OR BECAUSE I WORKED ONE OR MORE DAYS IN A GIVEN WEEK, WILL I RECEIVE THE LWA PAYMENT?
A: The LWA program’s $100 cutoff is based on a claimant’s benefit base rate, which is calculated before any deductions or reductions. Because the minimum weekly benefit rate in New York is $104 for UI and $182 for PUA, all claimants in New York are above the $100 cutoff. That means you can still qualify for the $300 LWA payment if your UI or PUA payment in a given week is below $100 because of taxes, part-time work, or other reductions. However, there may be additional criteria the federal government will require New Yorkers meet to qualify for funds — the DOL will contact claimants directly when that process is established.
Q: HOW MANY PAYMENTS WILL BE COMING AND FOR WHAT DATES?
A: It is unclear at this time how many weeks of payments will ultimately be released by the federal government. FEMA initially approved states for the first three weeks of the program, which is retroactive to August 1st — in New York, that means the benefit weeks ending August 2nd, August 9th, and August 16th. After those funds are disbursed, additional weeks of benefits can be released by FEMA. Under federal guidelines, funding for the LWA program will continue until any of the following occur:
The federal Disaster Relief Fund balance falls below $25 billion; The $44 billion set aside for the LWA program is depleted; OR Congress enacts a replacement unemployment relief program.
If none of the above scenarios occur before December 27, 2020, funding will terminate on that date.
Q. HOW MANY PAYMENTS DO WE GET AFTER THE INITIAL THREE?
A. The NYS DOL has applied for the additional 3 weeks of Lost Wages Assistance (LWA) allowed by the federal government. We are waiting for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to give final approval for the funding.
Q. WILL THE PAYMENTS BE A LUMP SUM OR MULTIPLE PAYMENTS?
A. Eligible New Yorkers will receive Lost Wages Assistance (LWA) in individual payments of $300 per week for the weeks ending August 2nd, 9th, and 16th.
Q. HOW LONG WILL THE ASSISTANCE LAST?
A. NYS has been approved for 3 weeks of Lost Wages Assistance (LWA) and is waiting for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) approval for the final 3 weeks of LWA.
Q. IF I WAS ALREADY RECEIVING FPUC PAYMENTS WILL I HAVE TO CERTIFY FOR THE ADDITIONAL $300?
A. Approximately 2 million are already qualified for the LWA program because they indicated on their initial benefit application that their unemployment was connected to the COVID-19 pandemic. These claimants:
Do not need to take any further action;
Will receive LWA payments starting the week of September 14th; and
Will receive an email and text message from DOL informing them they have pre-qualified for LWA.Roughly 435,000 need to submit an additional certification confirming that their unemployment is related to COVID-19 to qualify for LWA benefits, as required by the federal government. These claimants:
Can certify starting Friday, September 11th either online or via phone:
Online: claimants will receive a secure DocuSign email from the DOL on September 11th, with a link to certify for LWA benefits
Phone: claimants can call 833-491-0632 to certify via an automated phone system
Will receive payments starting the week of September 14th if their certification is submitted by 5pm on September 15th — after that, payments will be released on a rolling basis.
New York State Department of Labor