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Idaho Offers Cash Incentives To Get People Back To Work

Idaho Public Television

Idaho Governor Brad Little today [Friday] announced cash incentives for people who are currently collecting unemployment benefits, despite being called back to their jobs.

“The one-time return-to-work bonuses will be provided to the worker upon return to the workplace," he said.

"Under our plan, $1,500 cash bonuses will go to those working full-time. Part-time workers will receive at $750 cash bonus after a return to work," Little said.

He says the state will pay for that by pulling up to $100 million from its federal relief aid. He says money will be available on a first come-first served basis and could provide money for up to 70,000 people.

The governor also said the state continues to work through a backlog of unemployment claims. He says many of the cases now have complicating factors that require some research that takes time.

But another factor, he says, is one that has kept Idaho from running into the same unemployment fraud issues that Washington has been addressing.

“All that confirmation we have to do to prevent fraud," Little said. "It breaks my heart about people that are not getting their benefits, but there’s these protocols from either the federal government or the law that we have to go through.”

As a result, Little says Idaho hasn’t had much problem with fraudulent unemployment claims during the pandemic.