As early as this week, more than 200,000 Oregon workers will receive $600 checks from the state.

The Oregon legislature approved one-time stimulus payments for certain low-income workers in March.

The payments will be made to Oregonians who claimed the Earned Income Tax Credit in 2020, a tax break for low-income working households.

And they should have lived in the state for at least 6 months.

Nearly $141.8 million will be distributed to 236,000 households qualifying for the program, according to the Oregon Department of Revenue. 

The number of payments per household is limited to only 1.

Qualified individuals will receive about $82 million directly into their bank accounts, while the remainder will be mailed to them.  

Individuals who qualify will receive the money by not more than July 1, according to the state official. 

As part of the stimulus payments, the state is using pandemic aid approved by Congress last year to pay for these beneficieries.

The Oregon Department of Revenue spokesperson Rich Hoover said the payments are not taxable. 

In the Oregon Legislature, House Bill 4157 passed by wide margins in both chambers.

The bill is supported by the majority of Democrats as well as a handful of Republicans. 

Originally, the payments would have been up to $2,000, based on the 2021 stimulus plan. 

Workers who stayed on the job during the pandemic and those who returned last fall will be eligible for this benefit. 

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