CHARLOTTE — Many people have been asking Action 9′s Jason Stoogenke when they’ll start getting that extra $400 in unemployment each week, but he found out that $400 is probably going to be more like only $300 instead.
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President Trump signed this memorandum Saturday. It says the federal government will cover the $300 each week and that the states should cover the other $100.
But many states are worried they can’t afford it.
According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, states are already looking at being $555 billion over budget because of the pandemic.
Then the U.S. Department of Labor issued this letter. It says states don’t have to cover the $100 after all. They “may … if they choose to do so.”
Stoogenke asked officials in both South and North Carolina if that’s even a possibility. As of Friday morning, he has still not heard back.
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“I’m just trying to roll with it like everybody else. If something’s coming in, it’s helpful,” Shari Lyn Bishop told Stoogenke.
Bishop had two jobs before the pandemic. Now, she’s waiting to return to both.
“Any amount coming in is something that’s helpful,” she said. “It would just be really nice to know a little bit more information like when is it going to happen? How long is it going to happen for?”
Action 9 can answer both questions.
First, analysts say you probably won’t see the money for weeks. Second, according to the President’s memorandum, the money ends in early December or when the money runs out ($25 billion) -- whichever comes first.
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