DENVER (KDVR) – Colorado has been approved for the federal Lost Wages Assistance (LWA) program, which provides an additional $300 a week in unemployment benefits to workers impacted by COVID-19, according to the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE).

“This additional benefit of $300 per week will put at least $265 million into the hands of our unemployed workforce who have been impacted by the economic downturn caused by the pandemic, and provides critical support during this time of extreme need,” said Joe Barela, Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment. 

The funds are available from the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Other Needs Assistance (ONA) program created earlier this month.

The program provides the additional $300 on top of regular unemployment benefits for eligible unemployed workers.

Payments will be retroactive for the week beginning July 26 and will extend through the week ending August 15, according to the CDLE.

All eligible unemployed workers will have the extra $300 a week automatically added to their unemployment benefits.

Additional information on LWA benefits:

• LWA benefit payments are anticipated for mid-September
• The state has not decided if it will participate in the additional $100 match, paid for by the state, under the federal program
• The CDLE received $632,737 in funding
• Colorado has been awarded three weeks of funding at this point (covering July 26 through August 15).
• Claimants do not have to take any action to receive the additional benefit amount provided by the LWA program. The additional benefits will be added automatically for all claimants who are eligible to receive at least $100 in weekly unemployment benefit payments. This includes claimants receiving any type of regular unemployment insurance benefits as well as those receiving Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) benefits.
• About 6% of claims are less than $100 making those claimants ineligible.