30 states approve $300 in Lost Wages Assistance

Last updated: February 12, 2025
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30 states approve $300 in Lost Wages Assistance
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States are quickly applying to receive Lost Wages Assistance money to pass on to their unemployed residents. Figure out if your state has applied and how you can receive this financial assistance as soon as possible.

What makes Lost Wages Assistance (LWA) different to Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC)?

Under the CARES Act, FPUC offered those unemployed due to #Coronavirus some much-needed financial relief. The goal of FPUC was to cover anyone who lost their job due to the COVID-19 pandemic with a $600 per week check for a set duration. Now that FPUC has ended, the unemployed have been left high and dry without this assistance.

LWA, Lost Wages Assistance, is a new program designed to offer some temporary relief to those unemployed, however there are some key differences between LWA and FPUC that you should be aware of if you are in need of assistance.

1. States have to opt in

Unlike FPUC, which was offered nationwide, LWA is a grant from the FEMA budget which individual states have to accept, since it is a reallocation of FEMA funds. If you live in a state that does not accept (the reallocation) and apply to receive a grant from this budget, you will not be able to receive LWA. Because of this, it’s important to track your state’s progress closely to see if this program will be offered in your state.

2. Eligibility for LWA is different from FPUC

FPUC and LWA both require recipients to have been impacted by COVID-19 to qualify, however LWA has stricter eligibility requirements that you should be aware of even if you qualified for and received FPUC.

  • You must also already be eligible for at least $100 in unemployment benefits (as opposed to only $1 for FPUC)
  • You must be able to prove or “self certify” that your recent job loss was due to COVID-19

These changes could mean the difference between getting LWA and not getting it, so please continue reading for tips on how to prepare if you would like to apply for this program.

3. Experts believe, it’ll be over fast

While FPUC lasted for several months, LWA is only meant to cover those who were unemployed in the month of August 2020. Additionally, states will have to submit their applications for funding before September 10, 2020 to run this program locally. These funds are limited, and funding is being disbursed on a “first come, first served” basis.

This means that if you or your state wait too long to apply for this program, the funds may no longer be available. Even if you successfully get your funds, LWA is not a long term solution for the coming months.

Want more details? Read on here... 

Will my state offer LWA?

A number of states have already lined up to receive funding for the LWA program. Check the table below to see if your state has applied for funding as of today, August 26th, 2020.

| State | Will they have LWA? | |----------------|---------------------| | Alabama | Yes | | Alaska | Yes | | Arizona | Yes | | Arkansas | Application pending | | California | Yes | | Colorado | Yes | | Connecticut | Yes | | Delaware | Plans to apply | | Florida | Haven't applied | | Georgia | Yes | | Hawaii | Haven't applied | | Idaho | Yes | | Illinois | Haven't applied | | Indiana | Yes | | Iowa | Yes | | Kansas | Haven't applied | | Kentucky | Yes | | Louisiana | Yes | | Maine | Plans to apply | | Maryland | Yes | | Massachusetts | Yes | | Michigan | Yes | | Minnesota | Haven't applied | | Mississippi | Yes | | Missouri | Yes | | Montana | Yes | | Nebraska | Haven't applied | | Nevada | Haven't applied | | New Hampshire | Yes | | New Jersey | Haven't applied | | New Mexico | Yes | | New York | Yes | | North Carolina | Yes | | North Dakota | Haven't applied | | Ohio | Plans to apply | | Oklahoma | Yes | | Oregon | Haven't applied | | Pennsylvania | Yes | | Rhode Island | Yes | | South Carolina | Haven't applied | | South Dakota | No | | Tennessee | Yes | | Texas | Haven't applied | | Utah | Haven't applied | | Vermont | Yes | | Virginia | Plans to apply | | Washington | Yes | | West Virginia | Application pending | | Wisconsin | Haven't applied | | Wyoming | Application pending |

Updated August 26th, 2020 at 11:15 am.

How much will my state offer?

If your state applies and is successfully awarded funding for the LWA program, they will be provided with funds to grant $300 per week to people who qualified for the program throughout the month of August.

States can also choose to add an additional $100 per week in benefit payments, from their own state funding (making the total $400/ week), however not all states have the ability to meet this need. You will have to check with your specific state’s #unemployment office to know whether this will be offered.

How can I prepare to receive my LWA?

This program is developing quickly, and in order to know how you can set yourself up to be successful in getting these funds, be sure to do these things:

Track your state’s application status

Once funding comes in, states will begin disbursing to the first applicants who sign up for this program. Be sure to check live news outlets for updates on your state’s application and grant progress for LWA, check your state unemployment office's website for changes and log in to your own unemployment account to check for any changes or messages.

Check your unemployment eligibility

Because LWA now requires a minimum of $100 per week unemployment eligibility, be sure to check that you have been eligible to receive at least $100 per week during the month of August. If you haven’t been eligible for this amount, you may not qualify for LWA.

Need help understanding the basics of unemployment? Read on here... 

Get your documentation in order

LWA requires that eligible applicants can prove that their unemployment was directly caused by COVID-19. If you plan to apply for LWA, be sure to gather any documentation that you can use as proof that your unemployment was caused by the Coronavirus pandemic.

If you don’t have this documentation in hand now, reach out to your former employer so they can provide a document that verifies that your loss of employment or furlough during the month of August was necessitated by COVID-19.


Are you prepared to claim LWA? If your state started offering this program today, would you be ready?

If not, ask our community for advice below!

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TripleFire 1969
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Has anyone received LWA in Nevada yet? I can’t find an updated to chart to link to show the status.

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Phillip Olson
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In Wisconsin. My LWA payments arrived today. Chart attached to this article is not up-to-date

4y
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Nik Clark
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My UIA has it posted that they issued 3 deposits in one day adding up to what they owed, I received 1 deposit around half they owe and said they deposited. They don't answer emails and instant chat and phone calls are always busy, now where do I go to fix this?

4y
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Gloria Rubio
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Soy Colombiana no quiero que me sigan mandando estos correos por favor

4y
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Corrin Shepherd
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Do u have to sign up still I thought everyone just gets it automatically

4y
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Dawn Suitch
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Customer Service Representative at Southeast Petroleum Bp Gas Convenient Store

What about the poor of the poorest?!? If you don’t make at least $100.00 a week in unemployment then you don’t qualify for the additional $300.00 a week from FEMA (as that’s where the extra $300 is coming from), so if you make minimum wage and only work 20 hours a week, you only make like $87.00 a week at 60% of your pay, so therefore I don’t qualify for the extra money. I’m behind in my bills because I can’t make it on $156.00 every 2 weeks on unemployment!!! I'm on disability and can only work 20 hours a week and I don't make but $1000 on disability, for 2 reasons. One, I'm 100% disabled and shouldn't even be working as I have back and neck problems and have had multiple surgeries for my injuries but I must to cover my bills as I am single and the only person in my household bringing in any money. So I don't understand why they put a minimum limit on what you must make on unemployment. They didn't do that when they were giving the additional $600.00 along with unemployment. And of course I didn't lose my job until the beginning of July 2020, so I only received 2 payments of the $600.00. So now, my credit rating has plunged to do having to pay my bills late. I'm 59 and ready to just pull the plug on my life but I can't even do that as I have to help my 87 year old mother out as she physically cannot do much for herself anymore. If it weren't for my mother, I'd probably just end my miserable life!!!

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Crg Nat
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The information is NOT accurate. New Jersey has applied and has been accepted for the $300 additional payments!

4y
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Elizabeth Mancilla
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Cocina at Walmart

Tengo 63 años y tengo lumbalgia y por los dolores que me dan deje de trabajar y necesito apoyó me lo pueden dar????

4y
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keri g
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Install Manager at Pacific Aire

was the extra $600/week stimulus supposed to be deducted from my UIclaim balance? Doesn’t seem right that I just ran out of all of my benefits due to that reason?

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Gerald Green
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If i received the 600 .00 payments do i qualify automatically

4y
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