Weekly unemployment insurance benefits for jobless Idaho workers are going electronic.
Beginning Wednesday, the elimination of paper checks will be phased in over the next five weeks. Benefit claimants will automatically be switched to debit cards unless they already have their weekly benefit payments directly deposited into their bank accounts or chose to begin direct deposit immediately.
The Idaho Department of Labor’s Bob Fick says the switch to debit cards begins Wednesday for claimants served through the Boise local office. Claimants served through the Canyon County and Meridian offices will be switched to debit cards on June 16, and the rest of the state will follow on June 30.
Idaho Dept. of Labor’s Bob Fick comments on the transition to debit cards.
The debit cards, called ReliaCards, are being managed by US Bank. The elimination of paper checks is estimated to save the department about 130-thousand dollars a year in postage and check processing costs.
Fick talks about the benefits of the switch.
The department is providing both regular and federally financed extended benefits to over 44,000 unemployed workers a week.
More information about the debit card and direct deposit option is on the Department of Labor Web site at labor.idaho.gov.
