Extra Unemployment Benefits For Some Will Begin This Week

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Some Americans who've recently become unemployed thanks to the coronavirus pandemic will begin seeing more money in their unemployment checks this week, depending on where they live.

Thanks to the $2.2 trillion stimulus CARES act passed by Congress and signed by President Donald Trump, unemployed Americans will begin seeing a $600 weekly increase in their unemployment benefits for up to the next four months - that's on top of the state benefits people are already receiving.

People in New York will be some of the first to receive the stimulus addition in their checks. Residents in California will also begin seeing larger checks beginning on Sunday. Missouri state officials say residents will begin seeing larger checks beginning the week of April 12 after the state updates technology it uses to process unemployment claims and adopts new procedures.

If you live in another state, don't fret - laid-off workers will eventually get the full amount they are due, retroactive to March 29, the Department of Labor says.

Some states are still working on a timetable on how to implement the new stimulus program, which expanded benefits and covers those people who've lost income or had to stop working because of the coronavirus. The bill requires some states to make extensive changes to their unemployment applications and systems.

The CARES Act also expanded benefits to include independent contractors, as well as people who work for companies like Uber, Lyft, or DoorDash, who would typically not qualify for benefits. States are still trying to understand what type of qualifications and documentation people need to claim unemployment as independent contractors.

People filing new claims will begin seeing both state and expanded federal benefits over the next two or three weeks.

The increased benefits will be a welcome sign of relief from the federal government for many, after the Labor Department reported another 6.6 million people filed for first-time unemployment benefits on Thursday, bringing the three-week total to a staggering 16.8 million. Additionally, it was also reported by the National Multifamily Housing Council, that nearly one-third of Americans were not able to make their monthly rent payment in April.

Photo: Getty Images


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