BISMARCK - Job Service North Dakota says it will be using a Visa debit card to issue weekly unemployment benefits.
The cards will be mailed to those who qualify, starting next month, Job Service Executive Director Maren Daley said. About 18,000 North Dakotans get unemployment benefits during a year.
"We will not be issuing checks," Daley said. "The federal government used to reimburse our unemployment insurance program for postage, and they stopped doing that. So to save about $6,000 a year, we are going entirely to the debit card."
Daley said the prepaid debit card can be used to make purchases everywhere Visa cards are accepted.
"They can start using it for expenditure or get cash," she said. "They can go online or call a number to check their balance."
ADVERTISEMENT
Benefits will be loaded automatically each week of eligibility, she said.
"Each week, if they are entitled to benefits, Job Service will reload their card with the amount they are entitled to," she said. "The mailing costs of the initial card are picked up by the service provider that handles the card." Job Service benefits going on debit cards 20071019
