Thousands of unemployed District of Columbia residents will soon receive $1,200 checks, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser announced Monday.
Bowser said the District will be providing one-time stimulus checks for roughly 20,000 unemployed residents currently receiving benefits under the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program, set to expire at the end of the year. The round of checks will go to people who had applied for the relief by Nov. 30.
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PUA usually covers individuals who are not eligible for traditional unemployment. Among those covered by PUA are gig workers, those who are self-employed, independent contractors and those who lack sufficient work history, Bowser said. People who have also exhausted their benefit eligibility under the traditional unemployment insurance and the PUA compensation may also qualify.
Beneficiaries will start receiving the checks automatically before Dec. 31, officials said. The District will be using a portion of CARES Act funding to provide the payments.
Bowser also reminded residents that the application period for the Restaurant Bridge Fund is now open. The program will provide grants of up to $50,000 for food services establishments struggling due to COVID-19.
