HYANNIS – The state recently announced a second round of $500 payments to eligible low-income workers, with checks set to be distributed in June.
Around $165 million of payments will be delivered to roughly 330,000 Massachusetts residents in this round of the program, which is funded by the American Rescue Plan Act.
Checks of the same amount also went out in March of 2022, to about 480,000 people as the first round of the $460 million COVID-19 Essential Employee Premium Pay Program.
People who received a payment from the first round of the program won’t get a check from this round.
Individuals who had unemployment benefits in 2021 also won’t be eligible.
Eligibility for the program is based off 2021 Massachusetts tax returns.
To be eligible, a person’s employment income needed to be at least $13,500 last year and their total income put them at or below 300% of the federal poverty level.
State executive branch employees who received a one-time COVID payment from the state also won’t qualify.
Click here for more information about the program.
By Brian Engles, CapeCod.com NewsCenter