DENVER — Colorado is helping unemployed workers get back on their feet by rewarding them to return to work with an incentive payment Governor Jared Polis is calling Colorado Jumpstart.
The program aims to help Coloradans successfully transition back to gainful employment. The governor created the program through an executive order announced on May 19, 2021.
To be eligible, a person must have received at least one week of at least $25 or more in unemployment benefits between March 28 and May 16 and must have already verified their identity.
Polis said in a statement that he hopes the program can financially help people who have been struggling to find a new job.
“We know that getting back to work doesn’t mean all the financial challenges Coloradans are facing just disappear, and we want to ensure that as more people are returning to the workforce, we are setting them up for success,” he said.
The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment says a $1,200 incentive payment will be offered to people who return to work between May 30 and June 26. Newly employed workers must remain employed for at least eight weeks to receive their full benefit amount.
Eligible claimants must log in to their MyUI+ account and answer “yes” to the question asking if they have returned to work during the designated reporting period. When the person answers “yes” to that question, they will be asked if they want to participate in the program. Another “yes” answer would take the person to another screen, where they will provide information about their new job and wages.
Those eligible for the program will receive the first half of the incentive after approximately four weeks of employment, with the remaining half being paid approximately four weeks later.
“More than a year after this pandemic swept through Colorado, we know that many Coloradans are not completely back on their feet just yet. That’s why we are taking this important step to provide support to those who need it most as they transition back into the workforce,” said CDLE Executive Director Joe Barela. “This won’t just help Coloradans, it’s going to help businesses to have a productive workforce, ready to power our economy and comeback.”
To see if you are eligible and to learn more about the program, please visit cdle.colorado.gov/colorado-jumpstart.
