UPDATED: July 23, 2020
Short-term Child Care Assistance for Essential Workers
The Arkansas Department of Commerce has been directed to expedite unemployment benefits to assist Arkansans whose employment status may be impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak. The department will waive the one-week waiting period and the 30-day work search requirement and will now offer unemployment insurance to filled online or by phone at 870-400-2269.
Short-term Child Care Assistance for Essential Workers
The federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act provided over $41 million in Child Care Development Block Grant funds to the DHS Division of Child Care and Early Childhood Education (DCCECE).
• Essential personnel, under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, includes but is not limited to emergency responders, health care providers, public health personnel, manufacturing workers, sanitation workers, child care and early childhood staff, and individuals involved in the food supply chain during pandemic.
• Assistance will be paid directly to the licensed child care provider. The provider must participate in the child care voucher program. To find a child care center that participates in the child care assistance program, click here.
• The vouchers will be paid during the public health emergency. Payments would cover the full cost of child care during that time, as funding allows.
• If you make less than $2,954.98 each month for a family of two, you may qualify for traditional child care assistance instead of the short-term assistance for essential workers. See all income information here for other family sizes.
Click the link below for the Essential Worker Child Care Assistance Application - https://humanservices.arkansas.gov/…/Essential_Worker_Child…
Click the link below for the Traditional Child Care Assistance Application-https://humanservices.arkansas.gov/…/DCC-ESS_Application_08…
Completed applications should be emailed to FamilySupport@dhs.arkansas.gov.
Unemployment Information
How to apply for Unemployment Compensation
The Arkansas Division of Workforce Services has a hotline available for filing unemployment and other services. It is available Sunday-Saturday, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Call 1-844-908-2178. You can also file claims online at https://www.ezarc.adws.arkansas.gov/. While the West Memphis Workforce Center is open, in person visits are being discouraged in order to help with limiting the spread of COVID-19.
UPDATE: 4/23/20
Arkansas Division of Workforce Services announces they will begin application intake for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance sometime next week
During a Statewide COVID-19 town hall last night, Division of Workforce Services Director Dr. Charisse Childers stated that application intake for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (a program created through the CARES Act which enables residents who traditionally can not access unemployment benefits such as self-employed persons, independent contractor, and gig-economy workers to receive unemployment benefits).
Secretary of Commerce Mike Preston noted that qualifying applicants will also receive retroactive compensation to the time when their employment became impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Preston also noted it will be important for applicants to provide documentation of when their employment was impacted when applying.
Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Notification Sign Up
ARUnemployment.com
Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Information Signup
The Arkansas Division of Workforce Services is currently in the process of building a new system to accept Pandemic Unemployment Assistance applications. To receive information from the State on the status of the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program, click here to sign up for notifications.
What is Pandemic Unemployment Assistance? This new program stems from the CARES Act and provides unemployment payments to individuals who are not able to work due to COVID-19, who are not traditionally eligible for unemployment insurance. Examples of individuals who would now qualify for unemployment benefits include self-employed individuals, gig-economy workers and independent contractors.
Arkansas Division of Workforce Services Press Release over status of Federal Legislation pertaining to Unemployment Benefits
State of Arkansas Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Information Signup