NEW YORK (WKBW) — The New York State Department of Labor says FEMA has denied the state's request for additional Lost Wages Assistance (LWA) money.
The state says it provided $3.9 billion to nearly 2.5 million New Yorkers unemployed due to COVID-19 over the six weeks FEMA distributed LWA money.
Those weeks were August 2, August 9, August 16, August 23, August 30 and September 6.
NYSDOL says it has requested additional weeks of LWA money beyond the six weeks that were already distributed and FEMA has denied its request.
"Like other states, New York has applied for a seventh week and FEMA has said it is only providing funding for six," said a NYSDOL spokesperson.
The LWA money that was distributed over that six week period was a $300 payment as part of a federal unemployment assistance program which replaced the $600 payment that was approved in the spring but ended in July.
"FEMA has denied New York's request for additional weeks of LWA funding beyond the six weeks that have already been distributed -- highlighting one of the many shortcomings of this slapdash Federal program. Across New York and around the country, families are still reeling from the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the continued failure by the Trump Administration and Senate Republicans to negotiate a comprehensive relief bill is as illogical as it is harmful," said a NYSDOL spokesperson.
