OLYMPIA – If you plan to file for unemployment but haven’t done so yet, you might consider waiting until Saturday, April 18 when Washington kicks in the new provisions from the CARES Act. It could mean a lot of extra money for recipients.

The CARES Act provisions will expand the number of people eligible for unemployment and pave the way for an additional $600 in weekly benefits.

Federal lawmakers passed the CARES Act more than two weeks ago, but state officials say they just received guidance from the Department of Labor on how the program works.

The CARES Act opens eligibility to include independent contractors, self-employed workers and people who worked fewer than 680 hours last year. Also, those already on unemployment can get an additional $600 a week and 13 more weeks of benefits if needed.

Suzi LeVine, Washington Employment Security Department commissioner, strongly suggests applicants be as prepared as possible before filing a claim, including signing up for action alerts online, watching sign-up videos online, using the state checklist and using the eligibility checker. She says the more prepared you are, the faster you’ll get your money.

Once approved, people should get paid within five to seven days.