LAS VEGAS, NV (KXNT) - Nevada has submitted its application to provide additional unemployment insurance benefits of at least $300 a week to jobless Nevadans.
The program called Lost Wages Assistance is provided to states through a federal grant agreement with the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Now it’s up to FEMA to approve the request.
Nevada's unpmployement rate has been among the highest in the country since the coronavirus pandemic began, but the Silver State became the last state to file for assistance.
Nevada’s initial request for LWA is for approximately $300 million. If the application is approved, the grant will provide eligible claimants up to an additional $300 per week in temporary supplemental financial support for the first three weeks of August.
Under the terms of the President’s memorandum issued on August 8, 2020, only claimants whose unemployment is COVID-related are eligible, and those who are currently receiving less than $100 in weekly unemployment benefits are not eligible for the supplemental benefit.
If the State of Nevada’s application is approved, the State will immediately begin working on the necessary technology changes to the current system to accommodate the new program. The LWA Grant Program, which is administered by Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), has a spending cap of $44 billion. Once the allocation is exhausted, benefits will end. Thus, states must reapply each week after the first three weeks, giving FEMA the opportunity to calculate the program’s remaining balance after the first round of grants. The program also would be halted if FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund balance drops below $25 billion.