When I originally started my money diary off, it was after becoming furloughed from my Community Manager position and being on unemployment for a few weeks. Enough that it was coming to an end and I’d need to apply for an extension. Since that time, the additional $600 in federal assistance has ended with no plans of it starting back up to be seen. With that being the case, I only have my $90 a week in regular unemployment coming in until it runs out in October. I am not eligible for Lost Wages Assistance.
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What is Lost Wages Assistance
While doing my weekly re-certification this past Sunday, I noticed the NC Division of Employment Security has started issuing the additional $300 in Lost Wages Assistance. These are the FEMA funded monies going out to unemployed individuals in the states who opted to participate after the executive order that was passed last month. Originally stated as $400, most people will only be receiving $300 if their state didn’t agree to chip in the extra $100 the order initially said they must.
Why I’m Not Eligible
You’d think assistance for lost wages would go to anyone with lost wages due to the pandemic. If that was your thought too, we are the only ones. Only individuals who already receive at least $100 a week in their regular unemployment are eligible to receive the additional $300 assistance; I only get $90. $10 was the difference between me receiving an additional $300 a week in aid or not and, in this case, I was $10 too shy to qualify.
What Does This Mean
Nothing really. There is only so much money in the FEMA fund, they’re only guaranteeing 3 weeks at the moment, and a natural disaster could come along any day now to wipe out what remains, so even qualifying for Lost Wages Assistance could mean a lot less than what would really be necessary to assist most with utilities and rent/mortgages past this month. The question of whether or not the executive order is even legal still lingers in the air as well. The general consensus is that it is not, so if it were to be challenged, I’m not sure what happens, but I wouldn’t want to be stuck in a situation where I’m expected to pay the money back. I need all my funds and no one has time to pay bills, think they’re doing good, and having a letter show up saying they owe $900, at the least, back due to an oversite or error.
I could always use more money but for now, I’m not a candidate for Lost Wages Assistance and, given the uncertainty around it, it’s not really for me either.
Are there any other people out there who don’t qualify for Lost Wages Assistance? For those who do, are you nervous it may run out sooner than you anticipated or, worse, that you may have to pay the money back if the House challenges it? Please, let me know in the comments and, as always, thank you for following along on my journey!
