Low-income workers who were on the job during the COVID-19 state of emergency in 2020 and 2021 are eligible for $500 checks under a Baker Administration plan announced today to distribute $250 million in bonus payments to 500,000 essential workers.

Eligible employees must have worked during the state of emergency, which ran from March 10, 2020 through June 15, 2021, and have income less than 300 percent of the federal poverty level. Workers will automatically receive a check mailed to them.

The chart to the right outlines the necessary income thresholds.

The $500 payments will be delivered in March. These payments represent the first round of funds to be distributed as part of the program. The first round of payments will be made based off 2020 income-tax returns.

Following tax filing season, the next round of payments will be made using information from 2021 returns. The program will subsequently be evaluated for any additional rounds. 

Individuals who received unemployment compensation in 2020 will not be eligible for the first round of payments, nor will Massachusetts executive branch employees who received or will receive a one-time payment from the state as their employer. 

AIM encourages employers to reach out to their eligible employees to make sure they take advantage of the program.