Dear Early Learning Provider Directors,
This email is a reminder that there are TWO WEEKS LEFT to complete and submit your application for the first of two $1,000 qualified disaster relief payments for child care and early learning instructors affected by COVID-19 as authorized by Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida Legislature. To ensure that these disaster relief payments can be issued timely, information must be verified and submitted by Friday, August 6, 2021. Your work to quickly and accurately submit this data is greatly appreciated.
As of last week, almost 40 percent of child care and early learning directors submitted the application for payments on behalf of their instructors. To continue to help directors complete the applications, there are additional webinars for this week. If you have not submitted your application, please register for one of the webinars.
Please keep in mind that these payments are provided as “qualified disaster relief payments” to reimburse reasonable and necessary personal, family, living and funeral expenses incurred as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and in order to promote the general welfare. Under section 139 of the Internal Revenue Code, qualified disaster relief payments are generally not gross income for tax purposes and are not reportable as income on a federal income tax return. That means the payments will not have income tax or employer taxes withheld. Of course, recipients should consider consulting with a tax advisor for more information.
While this appropriation is limited to child care/early learning instructors, you are encouraged to consider using a portion of your Phase V and future grants to provide similar compensation to other valued and deserving staff members, such as custodians, food service workers, and bus drivers.
As always, thank you for the work you do every day to serve Florida’s children and their families.
Thank you,
The Early Learning Coalition of Palm Beach County
