A new debit card will replace paper checks for Georgians getting unemployment benefits.ABOUT THE CARD
Georgia’s new debit card for unemployment benefits charges fees for some services, while others are free.• Free: Purchases, cash back with purchase, cash withdrawals from MoneyPass ATMs, unlimited monthly account access by telephone.• 95 cents: Per ATM transaction outside of the MoneyPass network.Source: Georgia Department of Labor
Georgia residents won’t get unemployment checks after Thursday because the state’s Department of Labor is replacing paper checks with debit cards.
“We’re going away from checks in the mail,” Georgia Unemployment Insurance Director Brenda Brown said.
Benefits of going paper-free, Brown said, include that “[recipients] receive their payments quick. They also don’t have to worry about their check being stolen out of the mailbox.”
The state Labor Department will save about $19,000 a week after the switch, she said.