Dear Elmwood Park Residents,

We would like to share some information regarding unemployment benefits and stimulus payments. Please see updates below:

$600 Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (PUC)

* If you are currently collecting unemployment: Residents already collecting unemployment will begin to see their $600 supplemental unemployment benefit arrive April 14 (for the week of March 29th). It will be a separate payment from your regular unemployment benefit, and will continue through July 25.

* New filers: You also will be eligible for the additional $600/week; it will be retroactive to the week of March 29th.

Freelancers, gig workers, independent contractors: While we wait for federal guidelines, we encourage you to apply for unemployment now. Your claim likely will be denied, but your ineligibility for regular unemployment is a prerequisite for receiving benefits due to COVID-19. Additional details will be posted online as they become available. Please visit myunemployment.nj.gov.

Stimulus Payments

Beginning April 14th, the government will send out the first economic stimulus checks of up to $1,200 to eligible taxpayers, beginning with people who have direct deposit set up with the IRS. You'll be able to track your payment with the IRS, through a tool called Get My Payment that the agency will have on its website this week, the IRS.

The IRS will turn on an online tracking tool called Get My Payment by April 17. This online tracking portal will show the status of your payment, including the date it's scheduled for deposit into your bank account, or mailed out to you.