SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, July 12, 2022 (Gephardt Daily) — Utah Lt. Governor Deidre Henderson on Tuesday announced a one-time bonus for eligible child care employees in the state.
People employed as child care workers can apply for the $2,000 bonus by first registering for an account through CareAboutChildCare.utah.gov. Then, starting July 19, anyone who has a Care About Child Care account will automatically be sent the bonus application to fill out and submit, the state news release says. Applications are due Aug. 31, 2022.
More than 12,000 people, including child care workers, employees, staff, directors and owners, are expected to be eligible for the one-time bonus, says a statement released by the Governor’s office.
“We saw incredible dedication from those working in child care throughout the pandemic, often putting themselves and their families at risk of exposure to COVID-19,” Henderson said in a prepared statement.
“I want to express my appreciation to child care workers in Utah. The work you do is critical to children, families and employers. Your dedication has been commendable and made other essential work during the pandemic possible.”
Rebecca Banner, Office of Child Care director, called child care workers heroes.
“Our dedicated child care workers are unsung heroes,” she said in the prepared statement. “This is a fantastic opportunity to be able to give them a tangible thank you and recognize and applaud their hard work.”
The State of Utah and the Office of Child Care received over $108 million in Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations, the statement says. The majority of this money went to child care providers for operation grants during the pandemic.
The operation grants were replaced last January with stabilization grants for child care providers through September 2023. The state has $20 million left in CRRSA funds to be spent toward child care worker bonuses.
More information on the Youth and Early Care Workforce Bonus is available on the Office of Child Care’s Ongoing Pandemic Support webpage, including checklists for staff and directors and FAQs. The information is also available in Spanish. More info at jobs.utah.gov/occ.
