By: Eoghan Olkeriil Ngirudelsang

KOROR, Palau – The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) disbursed $3,170,413.75 to claimants on Thursday, September 19, 2024, as part of the second batch of retroactive payments under the CARES Act unemployment program.

The first batch of payments was distributed on September 6, 2024. According to Glendalynn Ngirmeriil, executive director of Palau WIOA, the list of recipients excludes deceased individuals, as the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) requires claimants to personally complete their 2020 weekly claim forms.

Ngirmeriil also noted that 15 claimants are currently off-island, with some indicating their intent to return and file for their 2020 claims before the end of October 2024.

The U.S. DOL prohibits authorized representatives from filing forms or collecting payments on behalf of claimants. However, WIOA allows notarized authorization letters under special circumstances where the claimant is unable to pick up the payment. Even in these cases, WIOA will investigate the reason for the notarization and verify the claimant’s situation to prevent fraud. Ngirmeriil urged claimants to consult with the WIOA office before submitting notarized authorizations.

Three more batches of disbursements remain. Group #3, for claimants with last names starting from G-K, will receive payments next, followed by Group #4 (L-N) and Group #5 (O-Z). WIOA requires five weeks to process each group’s payments, with each disbursement scheduled according to the deadlines for submitting claim forms.

So far, WIOA has distributed over $3.17 million to claimants in the first two batches.