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Whitmer pushes plans for back to work incentive, increased child care access in Grand Rapids

The Holland Sentinel - 6/17/2021

Jun. 16—GRAND RAPIDS — Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer continued to push a pair of plans to use federal coronavirus relief money to increase child care access as well as return laid-off employees to their previous jobs during a stop in Grand Rapids Wednesday morning.

Whitmer spoke at the Phyllis Fratzke Early Childhood Learning Laboratory on the campus of Grand Rapids Community CollegeJune 16, along with local education and business leaders, including former Lt. Gov. Brian Calley. Calley is now the president of the Small Business Association of Michigan.

She touted a plan to use $1.4 billion in federal funding to expand child care access to 150,000 additional Michigan children. Lacking access to child care is seen as an impediment for some to return to their jobs, particularly working mothers. Since the pandemic began in 2020, many have sought to stay home to watch children who are attending school remotely.

"This is a critical component to our success," Whitmer said."Data shows that child care is the biggest single monthly expense for lower income working families with kids. So right now, we've got an opportunity in front of us, an opportunity to make an historic, long-term investment in child care."

Lawmakers in the Michigan Legislature from both parties have been receptive to Whitmer's child care proposal, with House Appropriations Chair Thomas Albert, R-Lowell, saying in a statement earlier this week "I am confident we will find common ground to move forward and make a real difference helping Michigan families meet their child care needs."

Whitmer wants to expand eligibility for low-cost or no-cost child care to 200 percent of the federal poverty level, or $53,000 annually for a family of four, from August 2021 to September 2023.

After that, income eligibility would permanently increase to 160% of the poverty level, or $41,920 annually for a family of four. The current eligibility guidelines is at 150 percent of the federal poverty level, which is $39,300 annually for a family of four.

The program would also increase access to the child care subsidy for student parents enrolled in state-subsidized higher education programs and allocate almost $125 million toward premium pay for child care professionals with stipends paid quarterly from July 2021 until September 2022.

Whitmer also wants to shift the way Michigan uses the $300 in extra federal unemployment benefits to get people back to their jobs. She said by pivoting the $300 benefit to workers returning to previous jobs they were laid off from due to the pandemic, small businesses can get needed workforce support and workers can bring home extra income.

The incentive would last through the week of Sept. 4. The program also allows employers to bring back or keep employees working slightly reduced hours while they receive partial benefits, Whitmer said.

"I'm confident we can make this a bipartisan priority," she said. "Because taking care of our kids, getting people back on the work force and supporting our small businesses — it shouldn't be something that is hard for us to find common ground on."

Dave Boucher and Paul Egan of the Detroit Free Press contributed to this article. Contact reporter Arpan Lobo at alobo@hollandsentinel.com. Follow him on Twitter @arpanlobo.

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