Received in yesterday’s mail:

AN IMPORTANT NOTICE ABOUT YOUR UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE BENEFITS

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Stimulus Package) included additional benefits as a part of the money received by Virginia. Unemployment Compensation benefits will increase by $25.00 per week. The first week for which $25.00 can be paid is the benefit week ending February 28, 2009.

The virginia Employment Commision (VEC) will be issuing you a lump sum payment, if you were paid at least $1.00 for the week ending February 28, 2009, and any subsequent weeks. After the lump sum payment has been issued, the $25.00 will be added to your regular weekly entitlement.

This would explain the $225.00 deposit into my account a couple of weeks ago. I was assuming it was an error and would be retrieved at some later date. My weekly benefits go from $340.20 to $362.70. Hello, beach money!