COLUMBUS (WCMH) – Businesses across Ohio are set to receive approximately $1.3 billion in aid from the state starting this week.

The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation approved the payments on Sept. 25, and the checks will begin being sent out this Friday, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said during a coronavirus briefing Tuesday. Checks will continue to be sent throughout the end of October.

This is the second round of BWC aid being sent to businesses since the pandemic began in March.

“We know that our small businesses have really been hurt throughout this pandemic,” DeWine said. “Many of them have closed, many of them are just hanging on, and they’ve, virtually all of them, have been hurt.”

A similar payment made in April sent businesses an average check of $8.500, with this new payment set to be about the same, BWC said. Approximately 200,000 private and public employers are set to receive the payment.

BWC provides workers’ compensation insurance to 249,000 private and public employers in Ohio.

According to the BWC website, the agency has earned $279 million in investment returns on employer premiums in August, despite the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, DeWine said the BWC is able to make these payments due to a decline in claims and “prudent fiscal management.”

Employers who have an outstanding BWC balance will not receive a check. Instead, the payment will be applied to that business’ balance.

The governor also encouraged businesses to not overlook the check when it arrives in the mail.

“So if you see a check envelope come in the mail, please, please open it and we hope you’ll see your check,” DeWine said. “Sometimes in the past, BWC tells me when these checks have gone out, some have simply gone uncashed.”

DeWine said that in addition to the checks, the state would be announcing in the next week other new steps to help Ohio’s businesses.