SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — San Diego workers on unemployment are starting to see the additional $300 stimulus payments on their weekly checks, the Employment Development Department said Friday.
In a news release, the EDD says it is automatically reopening Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Assistance claims for people who had a balance remaining when the Federal CARES Act expired on Dec. 26. It says it will let claimants know via email, text, or mail when they can certify under the programs.
The state itself pays a maximum $450 per week in unemployment.
"It felt great. I went out and bought a bunch of really good groceries. I bought good food, paid bills off that I had to do, and I'm stoked for the next three months that I have it," said Jacob Nikos, a bartender at Eppig Brewing, who is down to one or two takeout only shifts per week.
The EDD says it will next implement the stimulus unemployment boosts for those who did not have a remaining balance as of Dec. 26. The agency says it will notify impacted individuals.
Additionally, the EDD says it sent instructions to upwards of 1.4 million claimants who had their payments frozen due to fraud concerns. It is routing people to a service called ID.me to verify identity.
The EDD says since Jan. 3, it has paid out $526.9 million to more than one million Californians through the stimulus unemployment program.