Nearly 56,000 Michigan Workers Receiving Grants for COVID-Relief
Michigan workers employed in the entertainment, hospitality, and indoor food-service industries will soon begin receiving grant payments of $793.
Individuals whose employment was impacted by the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 were eligible to apply for the Employee Assistance Grants program, which was created through a $45 million bipartisan budget appropriation signed by Governor Whitmer in late 2020.
Applications were processed through the Michigan Restaurant and Lodging Association Educational Foundation (MRLAEF).
“As we continue to address the effects of COVID-19, our top priority is providing financial relief to Michigan families and small businesses, so that we can grow our economy and get back to normal,” Governor Whitmer said in a press release. “This special grant program puts dollars in the pockets of Michiganders who work in hospitality, entertainment, recreation, accommodation, and food services sectors -- as well as the gym and fitness sectors. These Michiganders have made great sacrifices and continue to make great sacrifices as we fight COVID-19.”
Michiganders impacted by the MDHHS pandemic orders must have been working in one of the following industries to qualify for an Employee Assistance Grant:
- Bars
- Banquet Halls
- Bowling Alleys
- Cafeterias
- Casinos
- Caterers
- Food Trucks
- Golf Courses
- Hotels, Motels, Bed & Breakfast, Resorts
- Nightclubs
- Restaurants
- Theaters
- And other such recreational facilities.
According to the press release, applicants who applied for the grants were notified by the state if they were approved to receive the one-time payment of $793. The Michigan Department of Treasury began mailing checks to approved grant recipients on March 17.