OLYMPIA, Wash. — Washington state will spend $54 million to provide one-time payments to nearly 100,000 gig and self-employed workers cut off from unemployment benefits because of the impasse that had persisted over the federal COVID-19 relief and spending bill.
Gov. Jay Inslee announced that the payments of $550 each, roughly the equivalent of two weeks’ worth of benefits, will be issued later this week.
They will go to people who have been receiving benefits under the federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program which expired Saturday and was set up to provide unemployment benefits to workers who normally do not qualify for them.
This as President Trump ended the impasse Sunday night by signing the $900 billion coronavirus relief bill.
His signature means the programs targeted by Inslee will restart, but with a likely delay of payments.
The bill that passed includes $600 relief checks to individuals.
The Wall Street Journal reports Democrats in the House will bring a separate bill to to the floor today to increase that amount to $2000.