Maryland is looking to save money by paying unemployment insurance benefits with debit cards.
Only new applicants will receive the prepaid debit cards.
People already receiving unemployment benefits will continue to get checks.
By making the change, the state expects to save about $400,000 a year in postage, paper, and processing costs.
Officials also say the cards will help people who rely on check-cashing services to avoid paying costly fees.
Unemployment in Maryland has been up sharply in recent months. A spokeswoman for the department of Labor, Licensing , and Regulation tells the Baltimore Sun about 52,000 people in the state are receiving unemployment benefits.
Matt McCleskey has more...
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