The District of Columbia has been approved to grant unemployed residents who lost their job due to COVID-19 an additional compensation benefit of $300 per week.
DC had applied to participate in the Lost Wages Assistance (LWA) Program.
DC Mayor Muriel Bowser and the Department of Employment Services (DOES) announced on Tuesday that the federal government approved the request.
The program was established after the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation’s $600 weekly benefit expired two months ago.
In order to be eligible for it, individuals must have a weekly benefit amount of at least $100 per week from an approved unemployment compensation program and must certify that they are unemployed or partially unemployed because of the coronavirus crisis.
Payments will start by the first week of October, and they will be retroactive to August 1.
“We know workers continue to struggle during this pandemic, and we are committed to providing them with the maximum benefit they deserve so they can care for themselves and their families,” said Mayor Bowser in a statement.
“We appreciate the swift approval of the District’s application for additional federal funding, but also urge our federal partners to restore the $600 per week unemployment benefit as we continue to combat the economic hardships caused by this pandemic.”