COLUMBIA, S.C. — On Tuesday, South Carolina's application for the federal Lost Wages Assistance (LWA) program was approved, and is expected to bring $300 additional in weekly benefits to those unemployed due to the coronavirus.
State leaders say they're finalizing the details, but the extra cash could be on the way in the next two weeks.
“The big eligibility requirements that we understand right now is that they need to be eligible to receive at least $100 in their weekly benefit amount, again that's from a state program or that’s from a federal program," Heather Biance with the State Department of Employment and Workforce (SCDEW) said. "So, as long as they meet that requirement they also need to certify each week and they do need to make sure that they have identified that there’s been some sort of job disruption that was basically due to COVID-19.”
The money will be distributed retroactively, starting with August 1, but, according to Biance, each state is only eligible for three weeks before having to request additional funds.
"The initial eligibility has been for three weeks, so, that would be for the claim week ending August 1st, August 8th and August 15th and then after that our understanding is we have to ago back to FEMA and say, 'hey, do you have any more money?'," Biance said.
That means, a person could get $900 -- $300 for each week -- plus their regular weekly benefit under the program, then, Biance believes they'll have to ask to reenter the program on a weekly basis following the initial payout.
Whether South Carolinians see any more money from there depends on what's left.
“Unlike with the CARE'S Act there is a funding cap that is associated with the LWA Program," Biance said. "So, I think there’s just a lot of variables, it’s hard to say how long the funding will last, but that’s ultimately what it comes back to. I think the President has identified this as a temporary solution and we’ll have to wait and see what happens when it comes to Congress if they do go back."
More details about claimant eligibility and requirements will be updated over the next two to three weeks as the program is implemented into the agency's system, according to department leaders.