Unemployment benefits of $ 300 begin to reach Americans in need

Implementation has started

About half of the states should be paying $ 300 a week by the end of this week, said Michael Evermore, senior policy analyst for the National Employment Bill. This is in line with expert expectations that it will take two to three weeks for many state agencies to reprogram the new procedures into their systems.

Several states, including New York and California, moved quickly to put parts of the new law into effect. For example, the California Employment Development Administration has paid a total of $ 434 million in enhanced federal payments to more than 1 million claims, as of Tuesday.

The government agency in Georgia said nearly 167,000 unemployed residents received their newly expanded benefits against the pandemic and nearly 300,000 unemployed students received an additional $ 300, as of early January.

However, the more than 239,000 Georgians who exhausted the benefits of the pandemic on or before December 26 will have to wait a few more weeks for the start of the 11-week extension, although the payments will be retroactive.

“We are paying as quickly as possible,” said Kersha Cartwright, a spokeswoman for the agency.

In other countries, residents are unemployed You are not yet getting the benefits in this relief package.

For example, detained Ohio citizens cannot file new applications for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance or ongoing weekly claims at this time. The state’s Department of Labor and Family Services expects those who have already been approved to be able to submit applications by the third week of January. And it expects to start releasing the $ 300 feature by then as well.

New requirements for some files

The latest relief package requires those seeking benefits for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance to submit additional paperwork proving that they have a job or are self-employed.

In the past year, state agencies could simply accept testimonials from claimants about their work and income. But lawmakers tightened the rules in part because the program, which opened the unemployment system to many Americans who were not eligible at all, was facing widespread fraud.

Unemployed persons who apply for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance benefits before January 31 and receive payments on or after December 27 must submit documents to their government agency within 90 days, according to the US Department of Labor. Those who file a new application on or after January 31 must submit papers within 21 days.

The agency said proof of employment could include salary slips, W-2 tax forms, or earnings statements, while proof of self-employment could include federal employer identification numbers, work licenses, tax returns, or business receipts.

Oregon, for example, is still awaiting more information about the new required documents, among other program changes. The state agency doesn’t know yet when it will start sending out payments to people with new epidemic unemployment claims or to those whose benefits ran out last year.

Evermore said states have some flexibility in documentation requirements and deadlines. However, this disparity can widen between countries, with some setting strict guidelines and others less.

Cartwright said the Georgia state agency was still determining the best way for the unemployed to meet documentation requirements. She said the new rules place a heavy burden on state agencies to collect and verify papers.

“It’ll slow everything down for everyone,” said Evermore.