Idaho edges closer to adding $300 to unemployment pay. Here's what Gov. Little says

Aug. 21--The $300 new federal supplements to jobless Idahoans' unemployment compensation are a step closer to being paid.

Unemployed Idahoans could soon have the extra money in their pockets after a federal agency approved Idaho's application for extended benefits under an executive order issued by President Donald Trump.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency approved the application submitted several days ago by Idaho officials to join

the program.

Emily Callihan, a spokesperson for Gov. Brad Little, said Friday that the Idaho Department of Labor expects to announce in the coming week when claimants can expect the money.

"We're working with (Labor) Director (Jani) Revier so that when those dollars show up, we will get them into people's pockets as fast as possible," Little said Friday at a news conference.

An estimated 20,000 Idahoans will be eligible for the payments, the Idaho Department of Labor said. The number could vary, based upon the number of people who apply for unemployment benefits each week.

The amount is $100 less than Trump announced Aug. 8 when he ordered the payment of new, supplemental unemployment compensation to workers who have lost their jobs because of the coronavirus pandemic.

These payments are a successor to the $600-a-week supplements to state unemployment compensation that Congress also approved in March. Those expired July 25.

The expiration left millions of Americans with only state unemployment compensation, which generally pays less than half of a laid-off worker's wages -- in Idaho, the average is 41%. The average Idaho recipient had been receiving $866 per week since pandemic-related layoffs began in March, but now is getting $266. Minimum-wage workers get just $72.

Trump signed the executive order after Congress failed to approve a plan that would have extended those benefits. Trump tapped previously appropriated disaster funds. At the time, he said the federal government would provide $300 and states would chip in the other $100.

Many states objected, saying they lacked the money to contribute. In Idaho, Gov. Brad Little said Idaho still had funds it could spend

from $1.25 billion that Congress awarded Idaho in March as part of its coronavirus-relief package.

The Trump administration then said states could count $100 in their existing state unemployment benefits as a match without having to spend additional money. Little then decided to stick with that and not contribute the extra $100.

Little said Monday that it is the state's understanding that the federal money will last five weeks.

So far, only Montana, Kentucky and West Virginia have said they will provide the entire $400. South Dakota turned down the $300.

Arizona began distributing the money to its unemployed workers this week.

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