Name: Oklahoma seeks $300-a-week unemployment supplement
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Oklahoma seeks $300-a-week unemployment supplement

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Carmen Forman Update:Out-of-work Oklahomans may see a $300 boost in their unemployment benefits.Gov. Kevin Stitt announced Monday the state has submitted an application to unlock additional federal funds to supplement state unemployment benefits.If approved, Oklahomans who are out of work will see an additional $300 a week in their unemployment benefits.Instead of kicking in an additional $100 to match the federal funds, Oklahoma will provide its required match using dollars already included in an individual’s weekly unemployment payment.Claimants must receive at least $100 in weekly unemployment benefits from the state in order to be eligible for the $300."As we are months ahead of other states in our recovery and Oklahoma is open for business, many Oklahomans have returned to work or are in training to take on a new career," Stitt said in a news release. "However, we also want to continue to help those who are still working to secure employment."The unemployment assistance stems from an that allows states to provide additional weekly unemployment benefits under the Lost Wages Assistance Program.Trump issued his executive order after Congress could not reach a deal to extend the unemployment benefit that gave out-of-work Americans an additional $600 a week.House Minority Leader Emily Virgin, D-Norman, expressed concerns that Stitt's decision to opt Oklahoma into Trump's Lost Wages program could prevent out-of-work Oklahomans from receiving higher unemployment benefits that may come through a federal stimulus package. States are unlikely to be left out of future stimulus packages for participating in the White House program.However, .“While we appreciate Governor Stitt’s concern for unemployed Oklahomans, it is disappointing that he would sign them up for a 50 percent reduction in their federal unemployment benefits,” Virgin said. “Oklahomans work hard, and they deserve to be protected."Oklahomans who are out of work any time between Aug. 1 through Dec. 27 could be eligible for the $300 weekly supplement. Those with pending unemployment claims involving weeks that ended on July 25 or earlier are still eligible to receive the previous additional $600 Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation weekly benefit.It's not clear how quickly the Federal Emergency Management Agency may approve Oklahoma's request to begin implementing the Lost Wages Assistance program. Regardless of when the request is approved, the $300 benefit will be retroactive to Aug. 1, said Shelley Zumwalt, director of the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission.Zumwalt hinted that outdated technology at the Commission could make it difficult for the agency to respond quickly to the change in benefits. At the start of the pandemic, the commission struggled for weeks to begin paying out Pandemic Unemployment Assistance claims."Our team will work as fast as possible given the constraints that exist dealing with 40-year-old technology," she said.Trump's executive order caps spending for the Lost Wages program at $44 billion, which would only be enough to if all states sign up. were filed for the week of Aug. 8. Meanwhile, 118,131 unemployed Oklahomans were seeking help with continuing claims during the week ending Aug. 1.

Carmen Forman Update:Out-of-work Oklahomans may see a $300 boost in their unemployment benefits.Gov. Kevin Stitt announced Monday the state has submitted an application to unlock additional federal funds to supplement state unemployment benefits.If approved, Oklahomans who are out of work will see an additional $300 a week in their unemployment benefits.Instead of kicking in an additional $100 to match the federal funds, Oklahoma will provide its required match using dollars already included in an individual’s weekly unemployment payment.Claimants must receive at least $100 in weekly...

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Oklahoma seeks $300-a-week unemployment supplement

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