COVID-19 has altered daily schedules, school, and business operations across the nation. We have all sacrificed immensely over the past months.
You may have heard that last week, the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled the Safer at Home extension unconstitutional. The Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul issued an interim opinion late on Friday that local governments are okay to issue their own directives to deal with COVID-19 with some conditions. To read the full interim attorney general opinon, click here.
Returning to normal won’t look like it did before COVID-19, regardless of who writes that plan. Now that it will be a local approach to addressing COVID-19, I encourage you to reach out to your local government to let your local elected officials hear your voice on how COVID-19 should be addressed. Despite the ruling last week, COVID-19 is still here in Wisconsin.
People should continue staying safer at home, practicing social distancing, washing their hands, and only traveling for necessity. Our communal and long-term health depends on it.
As always, please contact my office if you have any questions or concerns. Continue reading for updates small business grants and more.
Sincerely,
Unemployment Update
If it has been at least three weeks since you submitted your application and you have not received your benefits, my office may be able to help you.
If your claim is "pending," that means there are eligibility issues that require further information or investigation. You do not need to take further action at this time unless the Department of Workforce Development (DWD) tells you otherwise.
If you are experiencing a different issue with your application, please email Rep.Considine@legis.wisconsin.gov with the following information:
Full name
Address
Phone number
Email
Issue that needs to be resolved
Status of your application including the date of your initial claim and whether you have filed weekly claims since that time.
My staff will send this information to DWD and request that they look into your case.
Haven't applied yet?
Due to the high volume of claims being submitted, you are encouraged to apply online whenever possible. To find more information on unemployment benefits or to file a claim,click here.
We're All In Grant Program
Governor Evers and the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation launched the We're All In initiative, which will provide $75 million in assistance for small businesses.
Across Wisconsin, small businesses stepped up during this pandemic to keep people safe and provide our communities with needed supplies. Some altered business practices to ensure safe customer experiences. Others altered lines to manufacture products such as hand sanitizer and face masks.
The We're All In program is funded largely by federal dollars received through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and will provide direct assistance to small businesses. These $2,500 cash grants will be given to 30,000 Wisconsin businesses. These grants will assist with the costs of business interruption, health and safety improvements, wages and salaries, rent, mortgages, or inventory.
These grants will help businesses in the short term. Going forward, we all need to join our long-term economic recovery by supporting those small businesses as patrons and customers.
Today the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families (DCF) opened applications for the $51 million payment program to support Wisconsin's early care and education community. This COVID-19 Emergency Payment Program is funded through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and is broken into three smaller programs.
Funding to Care for Essential Workforce Families This will support the costs of providing care for essential workforce families.
Incentive Pay This program is designed to increase base pay during the State of Emergency for current employees, providers, and educators.
Support for Temporarily Closed Child Care Programs This will assist providers who were forced to close due to COVID-19. It will help with costs for paying staff, reimbursing families, and reopening child care programs as Wisconsin returns to work.
The payments will be made across three application periods: May 18 to May 29, June 8 to June 19, and June 29 to July 10.
I encourage you to reach out to my office with any questions or concerns during this time. It is important to me to hear from you on issues at the state level. Thank you to everyone who has already contacted my office.
I encourage you to reach out to my office with any questions or concerns during this time. It is important to me to hear from you on issues at the state level. Thank you to everyone who has already contacted my office.