TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida will begin issuing an extra $300 per week in unemployment benefits this week to applicants eligible for the federal Lost Wages Assistance program, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Tuesday.

This program, authorized in a memorandum by President Donald Trump last month, provides additional benefits for individuals who are eligible for jobless benefits for weeks of unemployment ending on or after August 1, 2020.

Florida has been approved to provide and has processed three weeks of LWA program benefits for weeks ending August 1, August 8, and August 15, the governor announced.

To be eligible for this benefit, claimants must have a weekly benefit amount of at least $100 in an approved Reemployment Assistance program and must certify that they are unemployed or partially unemployed because of the disruptions caused by COVID-19. 

“We thank President Trump and the Federal Emergency Management Agency for providing this relief to Floridians during this time of need,” DeSantis said in a stztement. “These additional funds will provide critical support to Florida's unemployed workforce due to COVID-19.”

The LWA program is administered similarly to the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program. No additional application is necessary. Eligible Floridians who are currently receiving Reemployment Assistance will receive their LWA benefits the same way they receive their weekly Reemployment Assistance benefits. However, a paper check will be issued if the payment method selected is debit card.