More than 10,000 residents in Alabama are eligible to receive up to $1,500 in stimulus checks.
The funding, totaling $12.6 million, is part of the Alabama Department of Human Resources (DHR) second round of Child Care Workforce Stabilization grants.
According to the Alabama Department of Human Resources, the first round awarded funding to 1,278 child care providers in December 2021 and January 2022, and the second round will run from Feb. 28 to Mar. 18.
Full-time employees are eligible for $1,500 bonuses, while part-time employees are eligible for $750.
Before the two-year grant term concludes in September 2023, qualifying employees may receive up to eight quarterly incentives. There are still seven grant possibilities available.
The Alabama Department of Human Resources reports that 65% of eligible child care providers in the state applied for and were granted the bonuses. Bonuses have been approved for a total of 10,065 employees.
As Alabama recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic, the goal is to incentivize these bonuses to assist people go back into child care jobs.
"The nationwide staffing shortage has tested the resilience of Alabama's child care providers," Alabama DHR Commissioner Nancy Buckner said.
"As they continue to persevere, these bonuses will help recruit much-needed reinforcements and reward current employees for their dedicated service to the children and families of Alabama."
To be eligible for the grants, child care providers must meet specific requirements.
First and foremost, suppliers must be operational right now. They must also keep operating for at least a year after collecting bonus cash. In addition, providers must be in good standing with the Alabama DHR.
The Alabama DHR website has applications and extra information.
Due to President Joe Biden's American Rescue Plan Act, millions of Americans were able to claim COVID-19 stimulus money last year, whether through a conventional stimulus check or the Child Tax Credit.
Both the stimulus checks and the Child Tax Credits were entirely refundable, which meant that even persons who didn't owe any taxes could collect the funds.
However, because the IRS was responsible for distributing the payments based on past tax returns, many lower-income citizens may not have claimed the funds if they hadn't recently filed or paid taxes.
Depending on your income, filing status, and age, you may not always be required to file a return. For example, if you are under the age of 65 and earn less than $12,550, you are exempt from filing a tax return.
Even if you don't have to file, you should nevertheless file your 2021 tax return so that you can receive all of the money you're owed through the Recovery Rebate Credit.
