Some of the most stress-inducing and downright thankless jobs that people held down during the pandemic include a few that it’s so easy to take for granted. Hopefully, that’s not the case as much anymore, with the COVID-19 crisis ideally having opened our eyes and made us more caring and appreciative of everyone around us. It’s for this reason, in fact, that workers in some of these professions (like educators) are getting new stimulus checks. In many states around the country, the payments are going out to teachers, as well as certain essential workers who’ve worked as, for example, grocery store employees during the pandemic.
The payments are a bonus and meant as a well-deserved “thank you” for their work during the coronavirus pandemic.
Teachers and certain essential workers
This comes as stimulus check efforts from the federal government wind down for 2021. There’s just one more of those payments left for the year. And it’s coming in less than two weeks.
That’s a reference to the sixth and final child tax credit check, set to go out on December 15. As with the previous waves of those payments, it will most likely send some $15 billion to around 36 million families with eligible children.
Meanwhile, states are increasingly stepping up to send out new stimulus checks of their own. In some states, these efforts target the widest array of recipients possible. Sort of like mini versions of the federal stimulus payments, where the main requirement is that recipients simply be a citizen of the state. California’s Golden State Stimulus program is one example of this.
In other instances, these checks have gone out exclusively to certain kinds of people (who perform certain kinds of jobs).
New stimulus checks
In September, US Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced pandemic relief payments along these lines. It’s part of a larger $700 million effort to help farm and food workers. Accordingly, a one-time $600 payment is going to farmworkers and the US meatpacking workforce.
A portion of the $700 million, totaling up to $20 million, will also go toward helping grocery store workers.
Meanwhile, states sending out (or that have already sent out) stimulus cash to teachers include Florida, Georgia, and Michigan.
- Teachers and administrators in Florida got a $1,000 bonus earlier this year. And in recent weeks, state Gov. Ron DeSantis proposed another round of the bonus payments.
- Some teachers and school employees in Georgia are also set to get $1,000.
- Same with educators in Michigan. Another $1,000 bonus there.
Child tax credit check
As a reminder, millions of Americans are also getting the final child tax credit stimulus payment this month.
Be aware, also, that the IRS will send out a letter in early 2022 to those same recipients. It will contain important details about the checks you got this year. And you’ll use it to prepare your next federal income tax return.
On a related note, you’ll also get a companion benefit to the six checks when you prepare your federal return. At that point, you’ll be able to claim the second half of the child tax credit.
