A city in the United States is distributing a new round of Covid relief checks ranging from $1,500 to $7,500.
While most Americans have long received their final portion of Covid relief, workers in Modesto, California, have not.
As a thank you for working through the pandemic, the Modesto City Council approved a bonus payment of up to $7,500 per employee.
The payments come from a $6.7 million pot left over from the $45.9 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds Modesto received in 2021 and 2022 from the federal government’s $1.9 trillion pandemic relief effort.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE?
The payout is only available to full-time employees of the Modesto City Council.
Even if they worked during the pandemic, retired employees are ineligible.
The council unanimously agreed to consider a premium payout to retirees, but former employees will not be considered.
Employees will get $3,000 for working from April 2020 through March 2021.(Photo: Adobe Stock)
HOW MUCH CAN YOU GET?
Employees’ payout amounts are staggered based on how long they worked during the pandemic.
Employees will receive $3,000 for their efforts from April 2020 to March 2021.
Those who worked from April 2021 to March 2022 will receive an additional $3,000 bonus.
Another $1,500 is available for employees who work from April 2022 to September 2022.
That means an employee who worked for Modesto from April 2020 to September 2022 will receive $7,500.
According to The Modesto Bee, 851 workers are expected to receive the highest pay.
However, Modesto is not the only city in the United States that is still rewarding residents for their efforts during the pandemic.
$1,000 FOR FRONTLINE EMPLOYEES
Residents of Connecticut who worked on the front lines during the pandemic will receive a $1,000 cash reward from the state.
This category includes grocery store employees, childcare workers, agricultural workers, and manufacturing workers, but the exact amount depends on the worker’s earnings.
There will be approximately 120,000 recipients who will receive the funds via direct deposit.
Every week, approximately 20,000 payments are made through the state’s Premium Pay Program.
Meanwhile, over the next six weeks, approximately 35,000 checks will be mailed.
PAYMENTS IN THE U.S.
Other states in the United States are currently providing direct payments in the form of tax rebates or energy relief.
For example, taxpayers in Maine can benefit from $450 direct payments, which are available to approximately 880,000 residents.
The funds come from the Winter Energy Relief Payments scheme and will be distributed to all recipients who filed their 2021 taxes by March 3 of this year.
Meanwhile, Idaho offers income tax rebates up to $600 for joint filers and $300 for single filers.
Read also: Tax Credits: What Caused the Drop In Child Poverty Rate In NYC?
