Out-of-work Americans may see only a three-week boost to their unemployment benefits, as state and federal officials scramble to stretch out a limited pot of money and implement President Trump’s recent policy order.
The Trump administration offered the new details about its directive Monday, pledging additional aid would reach workers in a matter of weeks — even as its guidance quickly rekindled criticismthat the White House’s actions alone are insufficient to help people weather the economic crisis wrought by the pandemic.
Under Trump’s order, the U.S. government aims to front the money for jobless Americans who would get at least an extra $300 in weekly payments. The dollars will come from a federal disaster relief fund managed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which will initially dispatch an amount to the states meant to cover three weeks’ worth of payments, the Trump administration said. Continue reading.