Photo Credit: Alexander Mils
Late last month, Digital Music News reported that residents of 32 states were approved to begin receiving federal unemployment checks once again. Now, the figure has increased to 47, and the roll-out timetable is much clearer.
To briefly recap, this new round of federal unemployment checks – which music industry professionals, performers, and a broad number of Americans stand to benefit from – will replace the $600-per-week bonuses allocated and distributed via the CARES Act (on top of states’ respective coverage).
The CARES Act’s extended support expired at July’s end. After Congress was unable to pass a new stimulus package, President Trump earmarked $300 weekly federal unemployment checks in an August 8th executive order.
Like the CARES Act’s aid, the new federal unemployment checks will be added onto each state’s existing benefits. At the time of this writing, 47 of 50 states had received approval for the supplementary compensation; applications from Nebraska, Nevada, and Washington, D.C. are still being reviewed and will likely be accepted soon.
Additionally, South Dakota residents won’t receive the $300 bonus, as the state has declined the assistance. South Dakota reports that employment has largely recovered; the state never shut down in response to COVID-19.
I. States That Have Already Rolled Out Federal Unemployment Checks
Eligible residents of the following 13 states should have already received the $300 boosts within their weekly unemployment payouts: Alabama, Arizona, California, Idaho, Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas.
As an aside, the mentioned executive order called for states to pitch in $100 more in unemployment (on top of their existing benefits and the federal government’s $300 contribution). Most governors balked at the stipulation, which wasn’t enforced as a condition of the federal unemployment checks’ distribution. However, four states – Kansas, Kentucky, Montana, and West Virginia – have added or will add $100 to the total, upping their unemployed residents’ supplementary aid to $400.
II. States Scheduled to Begin Sending Federal Unemployment Checks in September
Next, residents of the following 24 states should begin receiving the $300 enhancement later this month: Colorado (9/15), Connecticut (9/18), Delaware (9/14), Florida (9/11), Georgia (9/20), Indiana (9/18), Kansas (TBD; late September at the soonest), Kentucky (9/13), Maine (TBD), Maryland (TBD), Michigan (9/13), Mississippi (TBD), New Hampshire (9/10), New Mexico (9/14), North Dakota (TBD), Ohio (TBD), Oklahoma (TBD), Pennsylvania (9/12), Rhode Island (9/12), South Carolina (TBD), Utah (TBD), Vermont (TBD), Virginia (9/20), and Washington (9/21).
(Per government officials, several of the dates are tentative.)
III. States That Have Qualified for Federal Unemployment Checks, but Won’t Begin Distributing Them Until October or Later
Lastly, eligible claimants in the following ten states (not including states with pending applications) should start receiving funds from the federal government in October or, when marked with “TBD,” an unspecified date down the line (and possibly after October): Alaska (late October), Arkansas, Hawaii, Illinois (TBD), New Jersey (TBD), New York (TBD), Oregon (TBD), West Virginia (TBD), Wisconsin (November), and Wyoming (TBD).