Mass. unemployed to get $25 more in checks

BOSTON - Massachusetts residents receiving unemployment checks are getting a little boost in their benefits, thanks to the federal stimulus law.

Starting next Monday they will get an extra $25 a week. The payment will also be retroactive to Feb. 22. That means an additional $100 lump sum.

Labor Secretary Suzanne Bump said in a statement Tuesday the money will provide “an additional cushion for families struggling to make ends meet.“ She also said it would pump a little more money into the state’s economy.

The federal law also provides additional relief for unemployed Massachusetts residents using COBRA. Those eligible individuals may receive a subsidy for 65 percent of the costs of their health care premium.