It’s been a long wait but the first batch of checks for those who lost their jobs,lost working hours or unable to work because of the coronavirus pandemic were released on Monday.
Deputy Director of Human Resources Makerita Enesi said checks were issued for 37 applicants under the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program and the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation Program.
The check amounts varied depending on how long the applicants were unemployed or faced reduced pay, as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
The average payout was $9,000 covering the period from February to March and depending on the date of unemployment.
The Department of Human Resources notified the successful applicants once the funding was drawdown to cover their checks.
Enesi says the processing of remaining applications is continuing.
A total of 820 applications were filed with DHR of which 38% were disqualified because of foreign nationality.
Only US citizens, US nationals and US green card holders were eligible.
Many of the private sector employees who were without paychecks for the first few months of the closures as a result of the pandemic were non US citizens or nationals. They include airline, hotel, restaurant and bar employees, bus and taxi drivers and self employed individuals.
According to DHR Deputy Director Enesi, the US Department of Labor which administers the unemployment assistance programs for the pandemic has not made any changes to allow this group of workers to be eligible for assistance.
