$ 300 Bonus Unemployment Checks: More States Send Payments What You Should Know

Over $ 160 billion in second stimulus controls made its way to millions of Americans, the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget said Friday. This round of payments comes from a $ 900 billion COVID-19 relief package passed by Congress in December as part of a $ 2.3 trillion omnibus bill. With the second stimulus controls (here is how to track your payment), the bill grants 11 weeks of a weekly unemployment bonus of $ 300. The payments come just as the Labor Department announced the loss of 140,000 jobs in December.

On January 5, the US Department of Labor issued guidelines to states on how to allocate relief funds to the unemployed. Several states have already notified recipients via email or social media of upcoming bonus checks, but the majority are still within weeks of sending the extra money.

The contribution to the delay was President Donald Trump, who waited five days before signed the stimulus bill to release the checks. Trump’s gambit for increase the maximum of $ 600 for the second stimulus check to $ 2000 was not selected for a Senate vote before January 3, the same day new congress was sworn in. The result resulted in a longer wait for renewal of federal unemployment benefits, in addition to the state allowance.

We’re here to answer as many questions as possible, given the information currently available, including whether the weekly unemployment premium includes retroactive payments and who qualifies for eligibility. We recently updated this story.

How long will the additional $ 300 unemployment checks last?

At this point, new checks should start arriving soon, although that will depend on how long it will take states to start processing payments. Checks are allowed until March 14, but there is an overrun period that lasts until April 5 for those who have exhausted their state’s benefits before the expiration date.

Are the $ 300 bonus checks retroactive?

Although the wording of the stimulus bill does not specify whether the unemployment premium is retroactive, that does not appear to be the case, the Washington Post reported. Observers don’t expect us to see a lump sum payment instituted by the federal government to compensate for the previous weeks without receiving a check for $ 300.

What is mixed unemployment benefit? How can I qualify?

The original CARES law had the unemployed either obtain their state benefits through unemployment insurance or through a federal program called Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, or PUA. Someone who was self-employed or worked as a demand worker, freelance writer or subcontractor who usually does not receive unemployment benefits after being made redundant could receive PUA instead.

In the language of the new bill, however, a person who earned a combination of income from a traditional job and a job as an entrepreneur would receive either UI benefit or PUA, but not a combination of the two.

With mixed unemployment compensation, a person who made more money through self-employment or contract work – which requires a Form 1099 – could receive an additional $ 100 per week. For example, let’s say you earned $ 50,000 in 2019, which was split with $ 30,000 from a contractor job and $ 20,000 from a part-time job in a business. If you were made redundant, the National Unemployment Office would calculate whether you would receive benefits for the $ 30,000 through PUA or $ 20,000 through UI, but not a combination of the two.

Although someone who has a traditional job and earns $ 50,000 a year in New York City receives $ 480 a week from UI, combining the two you would get the higher of the two different amounts, which would be the PUA. of $ 288 per week rather than $ 280 of unemployment.

Joint unemployment compensation will now give that person an additional $ 100, but only if the state participates in it. It may take some time for states to decide whether or not to do so after the bill is passed.

What are the qualifications of the $ 300 weekly bonus checks?

If you’ve been laid off or on leave, you are qualified to claim unemployment benefits from the state in which you live. Once the state approves your request, you can apply to receive state benefits to which you are entitled. Since states cover 30-50% of a person’s salary, there is no one-size-fits-all that you can expect nationally.

When the CARES law was passed in March, it provided the unemployed with a weekly bonus check of $ 600 in addition to the amount offered by the state, but those payments ended in July. Trump’s executive memo signed on August 8 reinstated a weekly bonus check for a reduction of $ 300 funded by the federal government through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). These were offered for only six weeks to the states that applied (which means all except South Dakota). PUA beneficiaries would also receive the bonus of $ 300.

Am I eligible for Federal Supplementary Unemployment Insurance?

Eligibility criteria vary from state to state, but the general rule is that you must apply if you have lost your job or been fired through no fault of your own. This would include a job lost directly or indirectly due to Coronavirus pandemic.

How does my state calculate unemployment insurance amounts?

The state determines how much each candidate receives, usually based on gross revenue. It varies from state to state, but is typically between $ 300 and $ 600.

How do states manage unemployment checks?

Most states provide up to 26 weeks of funding, although others, such as Georgia, limit benefits to 12 weeks. On the other hand, Delaware has extended benefits up to 30 weeks.

The amount of weekly benefits depends on the gross income of the applicant when employed and ranges between $ 300 and $ 600, with a few exceptions. Mississippi had paid up to $ 235, while Massachusetts’ maximum was $ 1,220. The CARES Act pandemic emergency unemployment benefit added an additional 13 federally funded weeks, but another UI stimulus bill is expected to be passed to expand it further. The latest COVID-19 relief package would add an additional 11 weeks of PEUC.

How can I see my state’s unemployment policy?

Each state’s labor office provides information on its specific unemployment benefits.

If you’re interested in dunning checks, here’s what we know so far about the offer for a Incentive payment of $ 2,000 per person and what has been said so far about a third follow-up check in 2021.