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Governor Whitmer Announces "Futures for Frontliners," a G.I. Bill Program for Essential Workers
April 29, 2020
For Immediate Release:
02029, 2April
Contact: press@michigan.gov
Governor Whitmer Announces WorkersEssential for rogramP a G.I. Bill”,“Futures for Frontliners
Pnitiatives to Protect Workers and Their Families During the Ongoing COVID-19 PandemicIther O nounces; Governor An Will Provide Tuition-Free Postsecondary Education Opportunities for Essential Workersrogram
— Governor Gretchen Whitmer today announced a series of initiatives to help Michigan workers and their families during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, including .delivering supplies oring public safety, picking up trash,tectmanufacturing PPE, pro , workerscritical infrastructure to , providing child carestocking the shelves at grocery stores our hospitals and nursing homes, staffing s workers like the one This includeswho don’t have a college degree.essential workers technical certificate to a orrovide a tuition-free pathway to college to p"Futures for Frontliners” programthe LANSING, Mich.
this crisis. You’re the reason we’re going to get through this.”sacrificed their own health during said. “I want to assure all of our workers we will never forget those of you who stepped up and Governor Whitmerearn a technical certificate, associate degree or even a bachelor’s degree,” to an opportunity dedicated Michiganders these e tuition-free college opportunities and givensure This program will crisis.lines of this program is our way of saying ‘thank you’ to those who have risked their lives on the frontFrontlinersFutures for he “T
The Governor stated that she looks forward to working on enacting her proposal with the bipartisan legislative coalition that helped pass Reconnect last month, the program to offer adults over 25 without college degrees tuition-free access to community college.certificate or college degree from 45% to 60% by 2030.technical to increase the number of working-age adults with a goal Governor Whitmer’s help us reachwill program s support of soldiers returning from World War II by providing educational opportunities. Frontline workers who take advantage of this ’was inspired by the federal governmentis the first of its kind in the country, and “Futures for Frontliners” program The
for critical infrastructure workers by allowing them to collect the extra $600 per week.supplemental pay allow employers to reduce employee hours to receive weekly unemployment insurance (UI) benefits as well as the additional $600 Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) weekly benefit. Both benefits will be funded through federal dollars. Through July, the program can act as tothat she is expanding the state’s Workshare ProgramGovernor Whitmer also announced
$15,000 for essential medical workers. incentive of up to potential recruitment additional with an , would provide these workers with an additional $13 per hour, up to $25,000proposal eroes Fund, the H PetersSens. Stabenow andSupported by Michigan. workers are currently on the job in essentialIt is estimated that more than three million of these. the pandemicduring access to life-saving care, food, and other critical servicesputting their lives on the line to ensure frontline workersPeters' Heroes Fund to provide hazard pay for Gary to support Sen. called on leaders in CongressGovernor Whitmer also
” to solve those problems for working families. And I will continue to fight for our working people long after this crisis is over.around the clockFrom the beginning, my team and I have been working “ No Michigander should have to worry about how to feed their family or pay rent during a crisis. And no Michigander should be scared to go to work,” said Governor Whitmer.“
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