The latest $900 billion relief package adds $300 a week in federal cash on top of traditional state jobless benefits — half the $600 stipend that was added between April and July under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act.
The latest relief also keeps two other CARES-related benefit programs going, one providing unemployment aid for gig workers and the self-employed and another that extends assistance for those who had run out of other aid.
Both those were set to expire the day after Christmas but will now run at least until March 13. Added payments could go out in a matter of days.
So here’s what Utahns expect:
‘Stimulus’ checks
These payments are for folks with annual adjusted gross incomes of up to $75,000 last year or $150,000 a year for married couples. Smaller checks will go to individuals making up to $87,000 yearly, or $174,000 for married couples, on a sliding scale.
Married couples also would get an additional $600 for each child under 17.
Unemployment aid
• The Labor Department and state officials are saying they don’t expect eligible residents will have to skip a week of benefits, even though President Donald Trump delayed signing the relief package into law.
All the same, as of late Tuesday, Utah was still awaiting official guidance from the feds on how “to properly make the payments,” according to a spokeswoman for the state Department of Workforce Services. So if you’re getting unemployment week to week, that could mean you miss a payment covering the week ending Jan. 2.
But even if that payment does get bogged down, the department said, you will eventually get the money retroactively in a lump sum — including both belated weekly benefits and any missed $300 payments.
Filing an unemployment claim
The state is still taking 21 to 30 days to process initial claims, too.
Gig workers
And now those payments will have the $300 a week added on top.
Previously uncovered by unemployment, “gig economy” workers were first made eligible for benefits under the CARES Act in early April. This latest relief now extends that jobless assistance to a total of 50 weeks or until the program expires March 13.
Extended benefits
Right now, at least 7,000 Utahns fall into this category week to week. The CARES Act added 13 weeks to those benefits, and the latest relief package has now extended those for up to 24 weeks, or also until March 13.
Looking for work?
• State officials initially gave Utahns who had been furloughed in the pandemic a break on looking for other jobs while they collected unemployment benefits, but that’s no longer the case.
Whether you’re seeking unemployment help because you’ve been laid off, furloughed or experiencing pay cuts, to qualify for benefits now, you’ll be encouraged to look for other positions each week, even those outside your typical field of work.
What if benefits run out?
• Once you’ve run out of both regular and extended unemployment benefits, that’s it for available jobless aid, but there is other help. If you’re in that boat, the state says to apply for other available assistance programs, including government subsidies for food, medical bills, rent and utility costs.
