MARQUETTE — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Tuesday signed Senate Bill 745, which appropriates $2.8 billion in supplemental funding from federal revenues awarded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to cover a temporary $300 per week enhanced federal payment for eligible Michiganders receiving unemployment benefits.

As part of the FEMA program, the additional $300 per week in unemployment benefits will continue until the federal emergency disaster relief funding made available for this program has been exhausted.

At this time, it is unknown how many weeks may be covered by existing funds.

“This is good news for the thousands of Michiganders who are still without work as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, but it’s still a short-term Band-Aid that falls short of what’s needed,” Whitmer said in a statement. “We need the president, (U.S. Senate Majority Leader) Mitch McConnell and Congress to put partisanship aside and pass a bipartisan recovery package that will help us save lives and get people back on their feet.

“Michigan families, frontline workers, and small business owners are counting on the federal government to do the right thing and work together on their behalf.”

At this time, eligible claimants do not have to take any action to receive the additional benefit amount provided by the program.

New reopening program begun

The Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity and the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration are launching a new program to support Michigan businesses in reopening safely amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The MIOSHA Ambassador Program offers education and one-on-one guidance on workplace safety regulations.

“Michigan businesses and workers need support during these challenging times,” said Sean Egan, Michigan COVID-19 workplace director, in a statement. “Education is essential with new guidance and directives regularly changing as we continue to battle with COVID-19. Ambassadors will work with businesses to correct any issues. We want to help employers understand and apply directives so they can comply, stay open and stay safe.”

Ambassadors will visit businesses statewide to offer education and support, with a focus on workplaces with a higher risk of community transmission. That includes bars, restaurants, retail stores, gas stations, convenience stores, bowling alleys and gyms.

Ambassadors will not propose citations or issue penalties.

“Collaboration is key in the effort to stop the spread of COVID-19,” said MIOSHA Director Bart Pickelman in a statement. “Throughout the pandemic, we’ve heard from many employers and employees wanting to clarify regulations and determine how they apply to their specific workplace. This ambassador effort will bring that education and support directly to businesses across the state.”

Ambassadors will work with business owners and managers to best implement safety directives to help ensure a safe workplace for employees and customers. Ambassadors will use the MIOSHA Ambassador Assessment to evaluate safety precautions and will provide a tool kit of resources for additional ongoing support.

“Business owners face a fluid set of complex issues regarding COVID-19 that require support to navigate,” said Brian Calley, president of the Small Business Association of Michigan, in a statement. “As guidance from the state continues to evolve, with different rules governing various regions and industries, business owners need to know exactly what they mean and how to apply them. Ongoing education is necessary to keep the economy moving.”

NMU numbers updated

NMU indicated on its reporting dashboard at https://nmu. edu/safe-on-campus/ that as of Tuesday afternoon, NMU has had 46 positive cases of COVID-19 since July 27.

There have been positives from 24 on-campus students, 18 off-campus students and four employees.

Also as of Tuesday afternoon, NMU has nine active positive COVID-19 cases. There are eight off-campus students and one employee who has tested positive.

Christie Mastric can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 250. Her email address is cbleck@miningjournal.net