Guam waits for more federal relief with 35,000 unemployed

The $600 weekly Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program has run out. But U.S. Senate leaders are expected to announce a plan Monday in Washington to continue the FPUC, but with reduced payments.

Guam Department of Labor Director David Dell'isola was one of the first guests today on KUAM's newly revamped multi-media show, "The Link with Sabrina and Chris"

"As with everybody in the nation, we're kinda standing by to see what Congress is going to do as far as the second round if anything with the stimulus package," Dell'Isola said.

More than $212 million in unemployment assistance has been paid out so far, he said. Guam is eligible for about $924 million but Dell'Isola said it's unlikely we'll be able to exhaust it before the December deadline.

"So they'll just keep drawing down from that amount until we use it up which I don't think we will unless like I said, Congress really ups the ante as far as the relief amounts," he said. "The good news is that as of July 8th, 35,000 claims have been processed. The bad news is that 35,000 claims have been processed, meaning 35,000 Guamanians are unemployed or underemployed. What's more, the job prospects remain so weak that the governor has extended the suspension of the job search requirement for the foreseeable future. Or unless we look at the environment and the jobs and businesses are opening up more and we will advise her and reinstitute the job search."

The seventh batch of unemployment payments is scheduled to go out on Tuesday.

Pandemic Unemployment assistance will continue through the end of the year. Congress and the White House have also been discussing a second round of stimulus payments.