ALBUQUERQUE – Labor officials in New Mexico have said residents receiving unemployment benefits should expect an extra $300 a week added to their benefits.
The New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions announced Wednesday that it will begin paying some benefits approved under a federal relief bill passed in late 2020.
“Gov. (Michelle) Lujan Grisham’s administration understands how hard this situation is right now, and staff at the Department of Workforce Solutions are doing everything we can to stand programs up and get money in to people’s pockets during this really difficult time,” department Secretary Bill McCamley said.
Department spokeswoman Stacy Johnston said the program will provide an extra $300 weekly for 11 weeks to claimants who have not yet exhausted state or federal unemployment benefits.
People on standard unemployment should continue certifying for unemployment each week, she said.
Residents who are eligible for standard benefits will receive the additional payments starting Sunday for the weeks covering Dec. 27 and Jan. 3, and each eligible week moving forward until the program ends in March.
Department officials said the same applies to people on extended benefits with remaining benefit balances in the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation program.
The state is still waiting for guidance from the U.S. Department of Labor regarding renewing a couple programs for claimants who exhausted their benefits before Dec. 26.