LANSING, Mich. (WSYM) - Tuesday Governor Whitmer signed a senate bill that appropriates $2.8 billion from supplemental funding of federal revenues awarded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The bill, SB 745, will use the funding to cover a temporary $300 per week enhanced federal payment for eligible Michiganders receiving unemployment benefits.
The additional $300 per week in unemployment benefits will continue until the federal emergency disaster relief funding made available for this program runs out. It is not known how many weeks may be covered by existing funds.
“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. “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.”
Eligible claimants do not have to take any action to receive the additional benefit amount provided by the program as of now.
SB 745 was sponsored by Sen. Jim Stamas.
