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Arkansas officials ask CARES steering committee for $8 million to cover Lost Wages Assistance match

PUBLIC HEALTH, WELFARE AND LABOR COMMITTEE - SENATE · September 9, 2020
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Summary

State workforce and budget officials told a Senate committee they need roughly $8 million in CARES Act funds to cover an estimated shortfall in the state match required by FEMA’s Lost Wages Assistance program, covering an expected six-week period if federal guidance allows. The state says week‑one payments are secure but later weeks are uncertain pending federal clarification.

State workforce and budget officials asked the CARES Act steering committee and the Legislature on Thursday to approve up to $8 million from state CARES Act reserves to cover the state match for FEMA’s Lost Wages Assistance (LWA) program.

Charice Childers, Brian Hicks of the Division of Workforce Services and Jake Bleed of the DFA Office of Budget told the Senate Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee that the federal program provides a $300 weekly supplement and requires states to document a $100 match. Arkansas officials said the mechanism for documenting the state match depends on payments already made through…

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