Senator Warner announced today that Virginia will receive $62.8 million from the economic recovery package for unemployment insurance funds. 

The funding is a one-third incentive payment that rewards Virginia for its adoption of Department of Labor-approved guidelines for determining an applicant's average base wages.  

The Virginia Employement Commission can use the funds to pay unemployment benefits, or, if appropriated by the State Legislature, for administering its unemployment insurance program or delivering employment services. 

The $62.8 million distributed today is only a portion of the assistance Virginia could have received.  The Virginia House of Delegates rejected more than $125 million of additional funding in April.  

Senator Warner said today: 

“These funds will help unemployed Virginians during tough economic times, especially those who are relatively new to the workforce who have lost their jobs. These funds will help many displaced workers as we continue to work to get this economy back on track."

Virginia was only one of 10 states to receive this incentive pay.  For more information about the Labor Deparment's Unemployment Insurance Modernization Program, click here.