New Mexico announces return-to-work support payments

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — State officials have announced a new incentive to get New Mexicans back to work.

A support program will provide payments to New Mexicans receiving unemployment benefits who return to work in the coming weeks.

Some workers will be eligible for up to $1,000. The program will begin the week of July 4 and run through August 28.

State officials said unemployment claimants who secure a job over the next four weeks will have to remain employed through August 28 in order to receive payments.

“The state will continue doing what it can to help workers and businesses get back on their feet,” Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said. “If we can make it even just one degree easier for someone to get back to work, helping offset transition costs, then we’ve got to do that – and we can and we will.”

The funding will come from federal stimulus money.

The support payments will be adjusted correspondingly as the program moves forward:

• If an unemployment claimant reports a new job during the week beginning July 4, they will receive a $1000 supplement from the state Department of Workforce Solutions upon the conclusion of the nine-week program.
• If an unemployment claimant reports a new job during the week beginning July 11, they will receive an $800 supplement from the state Department of Workforce Solutions upon the conclusion of the nine-week program.
• If an unemployment claimant reports a new job during the week beginning July 18, they will receive a $600 supplement from the state Department of Workforce Solutions upon the conclusion of the nine-week program.
• If an unemployment claimant reports a new job during the week beginning July 25, they will receive a $400 supplement from the state Department of Workforce Solutions upon the conclusion of the nine-week program.

As of June 29, more than 70,000 New Mexicans are receiving unemployment insurance.

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