Governor Roy Cooper announced he would be rolling out new executive orders this week, including a program to ensure essential workers can get access to childcare.
“As we face this pandemic we know our early childhood workforce is a support system that allows our essential services to be there for all of us,” said Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Mandy Cohen.
The Emergency Childcare Subsidy will help essential workers that qualify find and pay for childcare services. To qualify, you must make less than three times the poverty line, or under $36,000 a year. You also must be deemed an “essential worker,” which include healthcare workers and grocery store employees.
Daycares and other childcare services will receive a subsidy based on attendance for April and May. Additionally, teachers at those facilities will be given a benefit of to $300 and non-teaching staff will receive $200 a month.
To address questions, the state has opened a hotline at 888-600-1685. You can also find more information on childcare efforts here.
Additionally, Cooper said he has planned other executive orders that will be signed later this week to override regulations and make more hospital beds available. He also plans to use Federal Emergency Management Agency funds to pay for temporary housing—hotel rooms and dormitories—for people currently living in shelters that become infected with the virus and need to be quarantined.
Contact Raleigh news editor Leigh Tauss at ltauss@indyweek.com.
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