More than 1,900 workers will be sharing nearly $30 million from the state’s Excluded Workers Fund before the end of the year.
The $2.1 billion fund was created to provide relief to low-wage workers who lost income during the COVID-19 pandemic and were left out of various federal relief programs, including unemployment and pandemic benefits.
The program went live in August 2021 and within the first month, more than 90,000 applications were received by the state’s Department of Labor. More than 130,000 EWF applications have been approved, according to a DOL statement. Most of those who qualified for the assistance received the maximum funding of $15,600.
“As we send this final round of payments, I’d like to applaud the advocates, community organizations, and legislators who made this historic fund a reality,” New York State Department of Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon said in the statement. “It exemplifies the values of New York State and our ability to look out for our neighbors during the most difficult of times.”
Approved applicants for the Excluded Workers Fund will receive a one-time payment on a prepaid card.
David Winzelberg
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