NewsCoronavirus

Actions

Whitmer signs bill providing $300 per week in enhanced unemployment benefits

Michigan's unemployment rate is stable
Posted
and last updated

(WXYZ) — Governor Whitmer has signed an expansion of unemployment benefits into law.

The new law appropriates $2.8 billion in funding from FEMA to cover the $300 per week in enhance federal payments for those in our state who are eligible for them as part of unemployment benefits. The money was made available to the state's through Executive Orders signed by President Donald Trump.

RELATED: Whitmer says Trump's executive orders 'do nothing to protect' millions of unemployed Americans

According to the state, those eligible for the expanded unemployment do not need to take any action to receive it.

Under the bill signed by Governor Whitmer, the $300 extra in unemployment will continue until the federal funding provided to the state is exhausted. It is currently unclear when that would occur.

“This is good news for the thousands of Michiganders who are still without work as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, but it’s still a short term band-aid that falls short of what’s needed,” said Governor Whitmer in a news release. “We need the president, Mitch McConnell, and Congress to put partisanship aside and pass a bipartisan recovery package that will help us save lives and get people back on their feet. Michigan families, frontline workers, and small business owners are counting on the federal government to do the right thing and work together on their behalf.”

Additional Coronavirus information and resources:

Click here for a page with resources including a COVID-19 overview from the CDC, details on cases in Michigan, a timeline of Governor Gretchen Whitmer's orders since the outbreak, coronavirus' impact on Southeast Michigan, and links to more information from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, the CDC and the WHO.

View a global coronavirus tracker with data from Johns Hopkins University.

See complete coverage on our Coronavirus Continuing Coverage page.

Visit our The Rebound Detroit, a place where we are working to help people impacted financially from the coronavirus. We have all the information on everything available to help you through this crisis and how to access it.