After President Donald Trump’s signature on the $900 billion relief package, states have started providing the additional $300 to unemployed people as part of the federal unemployment aid.
Since Trump took time to pass the relief package, Americans will only receive the unemployment benefits for 10 weeks instead of the proposed 11 weeks. The usual unemployment checks meant for 14 million Americans expired at the end of December.
In some states, the departments concerned with the employment of locals, have already started to provide $300 benefits to the locals. These states include New York, Tennessee, California, Arizona, and Rhode Island. In Washington and Connecticut, the additional $300 in unemployment benefits will be deposited in bank accounts by mid-January.
According to the relief package details, these benefits cover the emergency compensation costs under the provisions of the CARES Act. The package includes 13 weeks in addition to the usual 26 weeks of assistance with state benefits unaltered.
Moreover, the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program (PUA) is set to extend for 11 weeks, starting December 27, 2020, till March 14, 2021. The beneficiaries of PUA are required to apply for and submit the documents to prove their eligibility for the program within 90 days.
Additionally, the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC), which previously lasted for 39-weeks, has been extended to 50 weeks. Recipients who are eligible for either the PUA or the PEUC are entitled to avail of these benefits until April 5, 2021.
A spokeswoman from the Georgia Department of Labor announced that the state has already issued the payments to the recipients. The payments will be issued by next week for Washington, South Carolina, Maine, Montana, and Vermont.
