The Oregon Legislature has approved a $35 million program to provide financial relief to Oregonians who may have experienced an economic hardship due to COVID-19. Oregon residents may be eligible for a one-time, $500 emergency relief payment if they:
1. Are a current resident of Oregon.
2. Attest to being over the age of 18. Date of birth will be noted on the application form.
3. Are experiencing severe financial hardship due to the Governor’s Executive orders 20-07 or 20-12 or indirect hardship due to the orders.
a. These are the ‘Stay Home, Save Lives’ orders that closed many restaurants and personal services to slow the spread of COVID-19. Many sectors – like personal transportation services – were indirectly affected by the orders and may have resulted in a loss of income.
4. Earned $4,000/month or less pre-tax prior to their income loss due to COVID-19.
5. Are NOT current on their unemployment payments:
a. Current means they have received all payments for weeks claimed except for the current claim week. Applicants should count base payments for traditional Unemployment Insurance and the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program – not the $600 enhanced payment that ended July 31, 2020.
b. Applicants may be eligible if they never applied for or were denied unemployment.
c. Applicants may still be eligible if they are not current on unemployment benefits but have since returned to work.
APPLYING
Participating financial institutions are taking applications and making funds available by check, direct deposit or prepaid card. Applicants do not need to have a relationship or account with any of the participating institutions to apply and no institution will require applicants to create an account to access funds. Each financial institution will provide applicants with instructions on their website on how to fill out the application and how to turn it in.The EEFCU is not a participating institution, but a list of participating financial institutions and branches as well as a downloadable application and more information, is available on https://emergencychecks.oregon.gov . Individuals who need telephone assistance can call 2-1-1 for assistance in finding participating branches near them.