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PA officials say qualifying unemployed workers may begin receiving extra benefit as early as Monday

Published  September 8, 2020 12:08pm EDT
Personal Finance
FOX 29 Philadelphia
article

HARRISBURG, Pa. - The Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry announced those who qualify for federal Lost Wages Assistance (LWA) may begin to receive payments as early as September 14.

Pennsylvania L&I Secretary Jerry Oleksiak announced Tuesday individuals who qualify will receive the extra $300 weekly benefit, as the state completed the implementation of the program a few weeks ahead of schedule.

According to PA L&I, only those who are unemployed because of the coronavirus may apply for the benefit. Also, in order to qualify, the LWA program requires those who are eligible to have a benefit rate and dependence allowance totaling $100 or more a week in benefits and receive a benefit payment for each week from one of these programs:

  • Regular Unemployment Compensation (UC)
  • Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC)
  • Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA)
  • Pennsylvania Extended Benefits (EB)
  • Shared Work or Short-Time Compensation (STC)
  • Trade Readjustment Allowances (TRA)

People who are receiving benefits from any of these programs, except PUA and Shared Work, have to apply for LWA by certifying once that their unemployment is specific to COVID-19. PUA applicants have certified their unemployment is due to COVID-19. They will receive payments automatically. Shared Work employers have to provide the required certification.

Applicants needing to complete certification should visit www.uc.pa.gov/cert and log in using their PIN, in the same way they file a biweekly claim. Choose the Complete LWA Certification and fill it out.

LWA payments will be made in a lump sum for claim weeks of:

  • August 1, 2020
  • August 8, 2020
  • August 15, 2020
  • August 22, 2020
  • August 29, 2020

Anyone who may qualify for LWA but hasn’t received any payments for approved weeks from the qualifying programs should still apply for LWA as soon as they can.

The LWA program runs through December or until federal funding runs out. Announcements will be made when state officials know the final payment date.

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