This is something I didn’t know until I received my own check. For each week of unemployment insurance paid another $25 dollars is added as a part of the Federal Stimulus Plan.
From the California EDD site
Federal legislation signed into law on February 17, 2009, allows for a weekly $25 stimulus payment. This $25 stimulus payment will be added to each week of UI benefits paid to eligible workers in California. The federal legislation states that these $25 stimulus payments are only payable for weeks of unemployment that start February 22, 2009, and after.
Effective immediately EDD will automatically add the $25 stimulus payment to each paid week of unemployment that starts on or after February 22, 2009, as part of the regular UI check.
Since the $25 stimulus payments are added to your regular UI benefits, the $25 stimulus payment will not reduce your available UI claim amount.
You do not need to contact EDD to apply for the $25 stimulus payments.
While I’m disappointed in myself that I wasn’t aware of this ahead of time, I must admit that it was a very nice surprise.
The additional $25-a-week in unemployment benefits is at risk along with eligibility for long-term unemployment benefits when Congress votes next week on on extending unemployment benefits. People who have been meaning to contact their Congressional representative should do it now before time runs out.