By Staff The state Department of Labor on Monday sent $600 emergency relief payments to 40,000 Mainers unemployed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Announced earlier this month, Gov. Janet Mills authorized the payment under the newly created Pandemic Relief Program to assist unemployed Maine people facing substantial economic hardship as a result of the crisis, according to a news release. "We are pleased to announce the distribution of this one-time emergency relief payment to families across Maine," said Laura Fortman, commissioner of the Maine Department of Labor. The one-time payment is intended for individuals who were likely to exhaust or lose their federal unemployment benefits. Eligibility for the payment was determined using existing, previously filed unemployment claim information.