Governor Gretchen Whitmer is expected to sign a series of bills adopted by the Legislature as part of a deal on the state’s response to COVID-19. It includes extending unemployment benefits for people who lost their jobs during the health crisis. Rick Pluta reports.
Job loss benefits would be extended for as long as 26 weeks for people who lost employment for reasons related to the COVID-19 crisis. That would match an executive order from Whitmer that wasstruck down by the state Supreme Court because she acted without legislative approval. The deal-making with the Legislature was accelerated by that decision. Although, many of her mask and distance mandates were re-issued by the state Department of Health and Human Services as public health orders. The bills sent to Whitmer would also mandate new COVID-19 safety measures at nursing homes and add legal protections for health care workers.
Non-commercial, fact based reporting is made possible by your financial support. Make your donation to WEMU todayto keep your community NPR station thriving.
Like 89.1 WEMU on Facebook and follow us on Twitter
— Rick Pluta is the Managing Editor and Reporter for the Michigan Public Radio network. Contact WEMU News at734.487.3363 or email us at studio@wemu.org
