Texans who lost jobs because of COVID can now get $300 more in benefits per week
Texans who are unemployed because of the novel coronavirus outbreak may soon see an additional $300 per week in unemployment benefits after Texas received federal approval Friday.
Gov. Greg Abbott announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency had approved the Texas Workforce Commission’s application to provide the additional benefits under the program authorized by President Donald Trump earlier this month.
Texans who receive more than $100 of certain state unemployment benefits should receive the additional money after Aug. 23. The funds will be applied retroactively to the week ending Aug. 1. Texans receiving unemployment benefits from the state should continue to request payments as they normally would, according to a news release.
Those who have not certified they have been affected by COVID-19 will have a chance to do so in their next payment request starting Monday, Cisco Gamez, a spokesman for the Texas Workforce Commission, wrote in an email Friday afternoon.
In a statement, Abbott thanked the Trump administration for “swiftly granting these funds to help Texans who have lost their jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic. These funds will help Texans in need support their families as we work to revitalize the economy and get Texans back to work.”
After an extra $600 in federal unemployment benefits expired in July, Trump authorized the additional funds in an executive order. While states were originally required to match $100 per week in order to receive the $300 in federal funds, the U.S. Department of Labor later clarified that states would no longer be required to do so.
Although states still have the option of providing the extra $100 per week to bring the total amount to $400, Gamez said during a Facebook live update Thursday afternoon that Texas will not provide any additional state match.
The additional funds will be available until they run out, new legislation is passed or the program expires, Gamez said.
Texans who need to apply for unemployment benefits or request payment can do so online at ui.texasworkforce.org.
