August 19th, 2020 by WCBC Radio
WBAL reports Maryland has applied for a Federal Emergency Management Administration grant to support an additional $300 per week for unemployed Marylanders, Gov. Larry Hogan announced Wednesday.
The Lost Wages Assistance grants were created by an executive order signed last week by President Donald Trump after Congress failed to come to a deal on a new coronavirus aid package. The $600 weekly federal supplement expired last month.
“Maryland is doing much better on our health metrics than most of the rest of the country, we are doing much better on our economic recovery than most of the rest of the country, and we want to do whatever it takes to keep it that way,” Hogan said in a statement. “But far too many Marylanders are still struggling to make ends meet during this pandemic. With this critical funding, we can help those struggling Marylanders weather this storm, get back on their feet, and recover.”
Once the application is approved, state labor officials will work with federal counterparts to program, distribute and implement the funds. The funds are expected to be available in late September. However, benefits will be paid retroactively to Aug. 1.
“Our department is grateful for the opportunity to apply for federal funding from FEMA to provide additional financial support to unemployed Marylanders as our state continues to recover from the impact of COVID-19,” Maryland Department of Labor Secretary Tiffany P. Robinson said. “While it will take some time to work with the federal administration to implement this new program, all claimants will receive benefit payments retroactive to their earliest date of eligibility within the new program.”
To qualify, claimants must be eligible for at least $100 in weekly benefits and self-certify that they are unemployed or partially unemployed due to disruptions caused by the coronavirus.
Maryland will fulfill the 25% state match required by federal officials through funding that is already paid out in regular unemployment checks. Officials stressed that the terms of the program may change if the FEMA funding runs out or if Congress passes a new bill on unemployment benefits.
August 19, 2020 at 5:57 pm, Kathy said:
Go back to work
Problem solved
August 19, 2020 at 7:43 pm, FedUp said:
> Where? Maybe your not aware but a lot of jobs have gone thanks to the orange clown who ignored covid, claimed it is a hoax and still refuses to take it seriously.
August 19, 2020 at 7:39 pm, CEM said:
Right, Kathy! Unless your place of employment (or PLACES for some of us) have closed! Some of us want to go back to work and are trying to change careers. I’m getting tired of the sparky, negative comments on every story on the WCBC site.
August 19, 2020 at 8:20 pm, Jimmy Joe said:
Silly Sleepy Joe just thought it was holloween. Ok , you job is gone , you could apply elsewhere instead of looking for a handout.
August 19, 2020 at 8:51 pm, Sammy said:
My job was lost , but unlike others I went out of my home and applied elsewhere. There is other jobs out there. Try applying.
August 19, 2020 at 9:43 pm, jim said:
Jobs have gone because alarmists have treated a mild virus like the bubonic plague. As many as 40 percent of people who get Covid do not know they even have it. Survival rate 99.99. Trump was right-the cure is worse than the disease. We needed to practice social distancing.Grandpa, grandma and people with serious health conditions needed to stay home. Anything else has been overkill. Nobody can swallow their pride and say it has been total overreaction.