HOUSTON – The Federal Emergency Management Agency ended the Lost Wages Assistance (LWA) program, which provided an additional $300 a week to qualified unemployment recipients impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, according to a press release.
FEMA informed the Texas Workforce Commission that the benefits would end on Sept. 5.
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Because the funds provided by FEMA were limited, TWC cannot extend payments beyond that date.
FEMA previously approved TWC funding requests for the benefits weeks between Aug. 1 to Sept. 5. TWC will continue to pay eligible recipients for the approved six weeks, for as long as the existing FEMA funds deposited to TWC remain available.
Recipients will continue to receive normal weekly benefit amounts for any benefit weeks for which they are eligible.
The Lost Wages Assistance Program was a temporary provision established after the expiration of the $600 Federal Pandemic Assistance Program, a part of the CARES Act. Other provisions of the federal act do not expire until December 26, 2020.
For more information on eligibility requirements, available benefits and questions about the unemployment process, visit TWC’s COVID-19 FAQ page.