AFT has prepared a document based on information from the Centers for Disease Control on:

• Transmission and symptoms
• What to do if you get sick
• What to expect during the pandemic

Click here to download AFT’s COVID-19: The Basics.

Higher Education school closures and moves to online learning vary by institution. 

AFT Michigan has compiled guidance on many issues arising from this sudden change in working conditions for local leaders. Members should work through their local union representatives and leadership on their individual concerns given the significant variance between institutions and departments. 

AFT and AAUP partnered to create this guidance document: Principles for Higher Education Response to COVID-19.

Federal and state programs have expanded unemployment access during the pandemic. See more details in our Unemployment Resource Center.

Among its relief measures in the CARES Act, the law provides several protections for federal student loan borrowers including suspending all payments and reducing interest rates to zero percent through September 30, 2020.

Click here to download the AFT’s document on student loan information.

You can find additional information on the Federal Student Aid website.

The State of Michigan has created and organized a number of resources to provide the public information about COVID-19, including translating fact sheets into simplified and traditional Chinese, Arabic, and Spanish.

You can find the full list of resources for Michigan residents at Michigan.gov/coronavirus

Guidance and Considerations for Child Care within Classrooms for Children Ages 6 weeks through 5 years During the COVID-19 State of Emergency

Governor Gretchen Whitmer has reached out to Intermediate School Districts (ISDs), local education agencies, and the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) to assist Michigan’s essential workforce (e.g., medical staff, emergency responders, and child care workers) in finding child care during this state of emergency. ISDs will be working with their partners, including local education agencies, public and private child care providers, Head Start/Early Head Start and other public preschool programs, and others to achieve this goal.

MDE Guidance and Considerations for Child Care within Classrooms for Children Ages

March 2020 CARES Act

This $2 trillion bipartisan agreement was signed earlier this evening, and addresses the current public health emergency, supports local communities, and puts America’s workers first.  Click here to read AFT President Randi Weingarten’s statement on the legislation.

Among the funding provisions in the CARES Act:

• $150 billion to assist states, tribes and local governments that must pay for new expenses related to COVID-19 response. Michigan’s grant allotment from the relief fund is $3.9 billion.
• $260 billion to expansion and reform of the unemployment insurance program, including an additional $600 per week for anyone receiving state unemployment insurance
• $13.5 billion for elementary and secondary education for formula grants to states
• $14.25 billion for higher education emergency relief to defray expenses for institutions of higher education, such as lost revenue; technology costs associated with a transition to distance education; and grants to students for food, housing, course materials, technology, healthcare and child care.
• $350 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses that retain workers, and $27 billion in other small business supports.
• $400 million for states to help prepare for the 2020 elections. Funding can be used, for example, to increase the ability to vote by mail, expand early voting and online registration, and increase the safety of voting in person by providing additional voting facilities and more poll workers.
• $100 billion to ensure healthcare providers receive support for COVID-19-related expenses
• $425 million to address mental health and substance use disorders as a result of the coronavirus
• pandemic.
• $275 million to expand services and capacity for rural hospitals, telehealth, poison control centers and
• the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program.
• $500 million to support the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s global health efforts.

Help for student loan borrowers:

• Codifies Trump administration’s initiative to suspend interest from accruing on student loan debts (for Direct Loans and federally held Federal Family Education Loans).
• Suspends student loan payments for six months (for Direct Loans and federally held FFELs), while still counting those months toward public service loan forgiveness and income-driven repayment.
• Halts involuntary collections of wages, tax refunds and Social Security benefits to pay back student loans.
• Provides flexibility in timelines required for qualifying service for Teacher Loan Forgiveness and Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education Grant recipients.
• Provides a tax incentive for employers to help pay their employees’ student loans, through the end of the year.

Payments to individuals:

One-time $1,200 check for individuals making up to $75,000 per year, or $2,400 for couples earning less than $150,000. Payments are scaled down for individuals earning between $75,000 and $99,000 and couples earning between $150,000 and $198,000, and are phased out altogether for those above the income thresholds. Also provides an additional $500 per child.

Worker and transparency protections on government loans:

• No stock buybacks or dividends for the length of any loan provided by the Treasury plus one year.
• Restrictions on any increases to executive compensation.
• Protects collective bargaining agreements.
• Real-time public reporting of Treasury transactions under the CARES Act, including terms of loans, investments and other assistance to corporations.
• Prohibition on businesses controlled by the president, vice president, members of Congress, and heads of executive departments getting loans or investments from Treasury programs.
• Creates a Treasury Department special inspector general for pandemic recovery to provide oversight of Treasury loans and investments, and a Pandemic Response Accountability Committee to protect taxpayer dollars.
• Creates a Congressional Oversight Commission to enhance legislative oversight of pandemic response.

AFT has created summary documents of the bills, which are accessible at the links below:

• Summary of S.3548 the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act 
• Summary of Unemployment Provisions in the CARES Act 

Senator Gary Peters has provided updates for Michigan residents on the CARES Act. You can download the factsheets at the links below:

• Education
• Workers
• Recovery Rebates
• Health Care Workers
• Veterans

We will keep you updated as details regarding implementation of the CARES Act become available.

• AFT: Taking Care of Yourself in Difficult Times 
• Coping With Stress During Infectious Disease Outbreaks from the  Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
• National Association of School Psychologists Guidance on Talking to Children About Coronavirus
• National Alliance on Mental Health Resources for COVID-19
• Centers for Disease Control Information on Preventing Illness

AFT Announces New Benefit for Trauma Coverage

The AFT is offering a new benefit—Trauma Coverage—because we know that our members, while fully focused on serving their communities, often neglect to seek help and healing for their own personal traumas. This innovative program uses the latest communication technologies—phone, text and video—to assist members whenever needed, wherever a member may be. Sessions with highly trained, licensed therapists are completely private and offered free to all active working members, including those on leave status. The broad list of covered injuries is both work-related and beyond, including:

24/7

• Aggravated assault
• Domestic violence
• Sexual assault
• Mass shootings/terrorist acts
• Major disaster

At Work

• Bullied, harassed or threatened
• Traumatized by witnessing a violent incident
• Infection by contagious disease
• Secondary trauma

Click here to learn more.

We’ve heard from so many of you who want to offer assistance to people who may be in need during this crisis, which is a testament to the commitment education professionals have for the community. In addition to reaching out to your friends and neighbors and assisting those who are unable to go to stores or otherwise struggling, below are some opportunities to help: