State’s extra benefits start

Some Massachusetts residents this week will start to receive the extra $300 in weekly unemployment benefits, according to officials in the Bay State, home to the country’s highest unemployment rate amid the coronavirus crisis.

The Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance has begun disbursing the additional benefits to Pandemic Unemployment Assistance claimants, who received benefits starting Wednesday.

Payments are expected to land in claimant accounts by Saturday, according to the state’s Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development.

Claimants through the standard unemployment assistance program are expected to receive the extra money by Sept. 15.

The boosted unemployment will total $900. The grant will fund an extra $300 weekly payment for those eligible for the three weeks ending Aug. 1, 8 and 15.

“The Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance continues to work on the technology and business requirements necessary for this program and anticipates being able to quickly deliver retroactive funds to all eligible claimants in the coming weeks,” the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development said in a statement. “Most eligible claimants currently receiving benefits do not need to take any action because the Commonwealth will automatically add LWA to their weekly benefit payment retroactive to the dates specified in the grant.”

The Bay State has applied for a fourth week of extra benefits. The state — through the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, in coordination with the Department of Unemployment Assistance — has applied to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for the week of Aug. 22.

Massachusetts had the nation’s highest unemployment rate in July at 16.1%, according to a U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report.

Bay State unemployment was down from 17.4% in June but still far above July’s national unemployment rate of 10.2%.