President Trump Signs Executive Order For Unemployment, State Officials Work To Figure It Out

People who are unemployed will receive additional money on their unemployment checks after President Trump signed an executive order over the weekend. State leaders are working out the details of where the funds will come from and when it will be paid. 

One of the biggest changes between the CARES Act and the new executive order is this will add $400 each week to unemployment checks. The federal government will pay for 75% of the $400 and the state will pay the rest. 

“I think that since our system is so old and antiquated making a change is definitely going to take time for us to implement and the development time behind it is really key," said Shelley Zumwalt, Oklahoma Employment Security Commission Interim Director. 

The state said lots of Oklahomans needed help getting the additional $600 on unemployment checks as part of the CARES Act from March. Now, the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission is trying to figure out how to tackle this next step. 

“I think there is a lot of unknowns at this point. We’re working with the office of emergency management which of course works with FEMA as part of that executive order directive. We’re working with the governor’s office and any other state entities we can to make sure we’re making the right choice for Oklahoma," said Zumwalt. 

President Trump's new executive order said $400 will be added to unemployment checks each week and the federal government will pay for 75%.

 “That final hundred dollars the 25 percent is kind of what everyone is trying to get a handle on at this point to see exactly what we need to do to enact it or what options we have as far as that final 25 percent," said Zumwalt. 

Governor Stitt's Office said the CARES FORWARD team is working to get more guidance from the federal government and how much this will cost the state. Zumwalt said she hopes to get more guidance in the next few days about how the state will handle the additional money on unemployment checks.