WIOA reports remaining funds and 2nd chance

There are $2.368 million remaining to be disbursed to the WIOA recipients that have been filing reports and receiving PUA and FPUC assistance up to September 4, 2021, reported the new Executive Director of WIOA Ta’o Ngirmeriil.

Of the 1,200 recipients of pandemic assistance, 140 have received their final payments while 1,060 continue to receive payments for the weeks they filed up to September 4th.  According to Ngermiriil, there are 7 remaining disbursements before all 1,060 have received all their claimed assistance.

Meanwhile, 642 individuals may have the opportunity to receive the assistance that was previously told they were ineligible for retroactive to December.  WIOA received an additional 18m dollars to address those who were not able to receive the assistance they requested.

Those who are eligible include those that filed but were declined or filed but never received an official response as to why they were declined, those who were told to not apply because they were not eligible and seasonal workers who were also told they were not eligible.

A one-week window from September 28 to October 4, was allowed for people to file if they met any of the above criteria.  Request to extend their application due to such some time given to file.

Director Ngirmeriil acknowledged that the time of notice was short but said that unfortunately, this was a timetable provided by the United States Department of Labor and they had no other choice but to abide by it.

These applications are being reviewed for eligibility and Ms. Ngirmeriil encourages people who may have questions to contact her office for information.

Reimbursement of Social Security deductions is pending while WIOA waits for a response from US DOL legal counsel.  “We are just waiting for their legal counsel to give us their response and then we can disburse.”

Meanwhile, other WIOA programs are placed on hold until the disbursement of PUA and FPUC is completed.