Inslee announces supplemental unemployment after Trump fails to sign relief bill
OLYMPIA, Wash.-- Washingtonians who have been receiving supplemental unemployment insurance due to the pandemic will still receive additional benefits even after President Trump refused to sign the recently-passed COVID-19 relief package passed by the U.S. Congress just before the Christmas break.
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee announced Sunday that the state will provide about $54 million in CARES Act funding so that nearly 100,000 Washingtonians who will lose federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) benefits will still receive supplemental unemployment insurance.
The move comes following the President’s refusal to act on the federal coronavirus relief package by the midnight December 26th deadline in order to prevent a lapse in PUA benefits.
“We are providing a bridge for some Washingtonians until the federal government finally acts. It is extremely unfortunate that the president has missed the deadline and allowed much-needed unemployment benefits to lapse for struggling workers and families. The relief bill was negotiated by his own administration, supported by both Republicans and Democrats and passed with overwhelming majorities in the House and Senate. His last-minute demands can and should be dealt with separately, but instead, the president has chosen to hold the entire relief package hostage," Inslee said in a statement released Sunday.
The one-time Pandemic Relief Payment will go out to 94,555 people in the state who have been claiming PUA, which is a federal unemployment benefit for those who are not eligible for regular Unemployment Insurance, such as independent contractors and the self-employed.
The Employment Security Department is expected to issue the state benefit later this week.
ESD expects to have more information available on its website: https://esd.wa.gov/
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