Politics & Government
Unemployment Insurance Recipients To Get Benefits Through Direct Deposit
Unemployment insurance recipients will receive their weekly benefits through direct deposit, rather than debit cards, beginning in April.
February 23, 2021
Unemployment insurance recipients will receive their weekly benefits through direct deposit, rather than debit cards, beginning in April, Labor Secretary Tiffany P. Robinson announced on Tuesday.
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The change means out-of-work Marylanders who are eligible for benefits will gain access to their weekly payments sooner, she said.
Jobless residents and members of the General Assembly have been urging the department to use direct deposit, particularly since last fall, when changes instituted by U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, a Trump appointee, led to delays in mail delivery.
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The department said it was able to make the change from Bank of America debit cards as a result of a new contract with Wells Fargo.
Recipients will receive transition instructions in March, the agency said in a news release.
The Maryland Department of Labor struggled with a historic surge in applications for jobless benefits last year when the COVID-19 pandemic led to widespread layoffs.
bruce@marylandmatters.org