August 22, 2020 - SACRAMENTO – The Employment Development Department (EDD) today announced the state’s participation in the Lost Wages Assistance (LWA) program, which was authorized by an August 8, 2020 Presidential Memorandum.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) approved the state’s application and will provide an initial amount of $4.5 billion, with the possibility of additional funding going forward.

The LWA supplemental payment of $300 per week will be available for a limited period of time, a minimum of three weeks, for claimants who are:
1. currently eligible to receive at least $100 per week in benefits,
and 2. who have provided a self-certification that they are unemployed or partially unemployed due to disruptions caused by COVID-19.

The LWA supplement will be available for weeks of unemployment dating back to August 1.

EDD and Cal OES jointly filed the grant application on Wednesday night. The application was approved Friday.

EDD will provide more information on this approved program as it becomes available.
Source: EDD