School Lunches for Kids At Marbrook

Senator Tom Carper Creates Resources for Individuals, Families and Small Businesses

Senator Tom Carper Creates Resources for Individuals, Families and Small Businesses

Last week Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to assist those who have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.  Delaware Senator Tom Carper has created online resources for Delawareans to access provisions of this bill that affect small businesses and nonprofits, individuals and families, and unemployed workers: Delawareans with questions about relief for small businesses and nonprofits can find answers here. Delawareans with questions about cash payments for individuals and families can find answers here. Delawareans with questions about accessing new unemployment benefits can find answers here.

DART Institutes Additional Safety Measures to Ensure Social Distancing on Buses to Further Protect Customers and Bus Operators

DART Institutes Additional Safety Measures to Ensure Social Distancing on Buses to Further Protect Customers and Bus Operators

Starting Thursday, April 2, DART will limit the number of passengers allowed on each bus at any given time, based on bus seating capacity. Passenger boardings will be through the rear door with fares waived. Riders needing boarding assistance will be allowed to continue boarding through the front door. In order to accommodate riders, DART will operate additional timing buses, as well as have additional operators on standby. If you are feeling sick, please do not visit public facilities and avoid public transportation.

Division of Public Health Announces Updated COVID-19 Numbers 1 April 2020

Division of Public Health Announces Updated COVID-19 Numbers

The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) is announcing one additional fatality related to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), and is providing an update on the number of positive and recovered cases reported in the state.        In total, 11 Delawareans have passed away due to complications from COVID-19. The most recent death involves an 84-year-old male from Sussex County who was hospitalized and had significant underlying health conditions.     To protect personal health information, DPH will not disclose additional information about the individuals who passed away, nor will DPH confirm specific information about any individual case, even if other persons or entities disclose it independently.     The latest Delaware COVID-19 case statistics, cumulatively since March 11, include:   368 total laboratory-confirmed cases  New Castle County cases: 226  Kent County cases: 41  Sussex County cases: 101  Males: 171; Females: 197  Age range: 1 to 97  Hospitalized: 51; Critically ill: 13  Delawareans recovered: 49  4,015 negative cases*  *Data on negative cases are preliminary, based on negative results reported to DPH by state and commercial laboratories performing analysis.    Delaware is considering patients fully recovered seven days after the resolution of their symptoms. Three days after symptoms resolve, patients are no longer required to self-isolate at home; however, they must continue to practice strict social distancing for the remaining four days before returning to their normal daily routine.       If you are sick with any symptoms, including fever, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat and muscle fatigue, stay home. If you are sick and need essential supplies, ask someone else to go to the grocery store or the pharmacy to get what you need.       If you think you have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, or have symptoms of illness, make sure to distance yourself from others, particularly vulnerable populations. Older adults and people of any age with serious underlying medical conditions - including serious heart conditions, chronic lung conditions, including moderate to severe asthma, severe obesity and those who are immunocompromised, including through cancer treatment - might be at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19.       Statewide testing at standing health facility testing sites require a physician’s order or prescription to be tested (*Bayhealth patients will be pre-screened via phone without needing to see a provider first). These are not walk-in testing sites. Those without a primary care provider can call the DPH Call Center Line at 1-866-408-1899. Individuals awaiting test results, should wait to hear back from their medical provider. The DPH Call Center does not have test results.         Delawareans with general questions about COVID-19 or their exposure risk can call the Division of Public Health’s Coronavirus Call Center at 1-866-408-1899, or 711 for individuals who are deaf or hard-of-hearing, from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Questions can also be submitted by email at DPHCall@delaware.gov.         DPH will continue to update the public as more information becomes available. For the latest on Delaware’s response click the button below.

Governor Carney Restricts Gatherings, Requires Businesses to Strictly Comply with Social Distancing

Governor Carney Restricts Gatherings, Requires Businesses to Strictly Comply with Social Distancing

Governor John Carney on Wednesday signed the ninth modification to his State of Emergency declaration, further limiting public gatherings and ordering essential businesses to take specific steps to enforce social distancing and fight the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID19).   Governor Carney’s modified emergency order limits public gatherings to 10 people through May 15, or until the public health threat has been eliminated. For the purposes of the order, public gatherings include weddings, funerals, and related activities.   The order also requires new action from businesses that remain open. Under Governor Carney’s modified emergency order, businesses must: Allow no more than 20 percent of stated fire capacity in the store at any given time and no more than 10 percent during exclusive hours for high-risk populations. Clearly mark six-foot spacing in check-out lines and other high-traffic areas, including outside. Discontinue any self-serve foods, or product sampling. Designate staff to enforce the number of people coming into the store and enforce limits. Governor Carney’s order will take effect at 8:00 p.m. Thursday, April 2.

Full SOE Modification

Questions & Clarification About Unemployment Benefits During the SOE Update 1 April

From: Bistany, Patricia K. (DOL)
Sent: Tuesday, March 31, 2020 6:11 PM
To: Emory, Juliann (LegHall)
Subject: Re: Questions & Clarification about Unemployment Benefits during the SOE

1. Question

When we asked early in all of this  if nonprofit employees out of work during the SOE would receive unemployment benefit , this was a hard no .

Yesterday 30 March 2020 multiple nonprofit employees who enquired with the Dept of Labor were told they would receive at the minimum Fed $600 & possibly the state portion as well  , a hard yes .

1.  Answer

If  non-profit is registered with DUI as an employer and pays into the trust fund, those employees have covered wages that contribute to a UI claim.


If a non-profits is NOT registered as a covered employer that pays into the trust (example: church) then those employees don’t have any covered wages and are not eligible for UI.  Based on the new legislation workers from non-profits that were not eligible for regular UI MAY be eligible when PUA is implemented. This program has not yet been implemented as we are waiting for technical and legal guidance from national office.  

2. Question Should Delaware Park employees contact the Dept of Labor individually to apply for unemployment benefit  ? Has/ Will Delaware Park contact the Dept of Labor  apply for unemployment benefit for all of the employees  of DP effect by the SOE ?

2.Answer 

Delaware Park employees have not been advised as to the correct source of action .
All unemployed individuals must file for UI benefits. Our website is ui.delawareworks.com.
 

3. Question 

Do nonprofit employees day care worker out of work due to the SOE now qualify for unemployment benefit ?

- Question Do employees nonprofit  day cares employees out of work due to the centers being shut down awaiting Covid 19 decontamination now qualify for unemployment benefit ?

- Question Do sole proprietor Day Care owners qualify for unemployment if they choose not to stay open during the SOE?

3. Answer


The CARE act includes a program PUA (pandemic unemployment assistance) that appears to include provisions for independent contractors and the self-employed and others who are not eligible for regular UI.  I do not know at this moment if that includes those who worked for employers who worked for non-profit employers who did not pay into the trust fund.  We hope to have guidance from the national office soon.

Facebook Live session - Dr. Karyl Rattay, the Director of the Division of Public Health

https://coronavirus.delaware.gov

Wednesday's Facebook Live session from the Delaware State Health Operations Center will feature a COVID-19 update with Dr. Karyl Rattay, the Director of the Division of Public Health. That will be followed by a discussion with Dr. Rattay, Dava Newnam, Director of the Division of Services for Aging and Adults with Physical Disabilities, and Ken Bock, CEO of the CHEER Center in Georgetown. The three will talk about issues around the coronavirus disease affecting seniors as well as answer some of your questions. The live event will be shown on the DHSS Facebook page. Put your questions in the comments on the original Facebook post.