By Christian M. Wade  cwade@cnhi.com Dec 22, 2020
Dec 22, 2020
BOSTON Congress is throwing a lifeline to hundreds of thousands of jobless workers in Massachusetts, who could soon see another extension of their unemployment benefits and a little more money in their weekly payments.
Over the weekend, Congress struck a deal on a $900 billion coronavirus relief bill that includes a new round of direct payments for individuals and help for businesses still struggling amid the pandemic.
The relief package, which was expected to be approved Monday, also extends two federal programs to stretch jobless benefits for another 11 weeks, averting a fiscal cliff for millions of unemployed. The plan also adds another $300 to all weekly unemployment benefits.
Congress Passes New Stimulus Relief Law aarp.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from aarp.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
The new economic package also includes a supplemental unemployment benefit for the millions of people out of work due to the COVID-19 pandemic. That will pay out $300 per week for 11 weeks. Under the CARES Act passed in March, the supplemental unemployment payments were $600 weekly.
The income criteria to qualify for working adults to qualify for the $600 stimulus payments are the same as they were in March: Single people who earned up to $75,000 in 2019 will receive a $600 payment and married couples who earned up to $150,000 will receive a $1,200 payment.
Individuals and couples who exceed those thresholds will receive less – for an individual it is about $5 less for every $100 more than $75,000, up to an income $99,000, at which point the person will receive no payment, Vox reported. For married couples the stimulus payments cut off at $198,000.
Unemployed Mainers will get $600 COVID-19 relief payment, Maine DOL says
Governor Janet Mills has authorized the use of $25.2 million in CARES Act funding to provide about 40,000 unemployed Mainers with a one-time relief payment of $600. Author: Chloe Teboe (NEWS CENTER Maine) Published: 9:16 AM EST December 22, 2020 Updated: 9:16 AM EST December 22, 2020
AUGUSTA, Maine The Maine Department of Labor will distribute a one-time emergency relief payment of $600 to about 40,000 people who are unemployed in our state because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Governor Janet Mills authorized this payment the night of Monday, December 21 under a new Pandemic Relief Program (PRP). It will use $25.2 million in CARES Act Coronavirus Relief Funds. This program is designed to help Mainers who are without work and facing economic hardship as a result of COVID-19.