For weeks, UFCW 1996 has fought to get our members the benefits they deserve as frontline essential workers. We are happy to announce that Georgia’s Department of Early Care and Learning is expanding childcare scholarships to grocery and food processing workers.
From the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning: Recently, the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL) established a new priority group for Childcare and Parent Services (CAPS): the Essential Services Workforce, to help “front line” workers pay for child care during this current crisis.
These Workforces include Tier 1 and Tier 2 Critical Infrastructure Jobs are listed below. These workforces includes all grocery, food processing, healthcare and nursing home workers.
A more detailed list on what jobs fall in these workforces categories is at the end of this page.
To be eligible for CAPS under the Essential Services Workforce Priority Group – Tiers 1 and 2, families must:
- Complete the Essential Services Workforce Application.
- Provide verification from current employer verifying applicant’s occupation, job title, and description of duties. The verification should also include the employer’s name and contact information.
- Meet and verify the following eligibility requirements:
- Family’s income cannot exceed 50% of the state median income (SMI). See Appendix A – Maximum Income Limits.
- At least one parent in the family must be employed an average of 24 hours per week in an essential service profession listed above. The other parent must participate in state-approved activities (including employment, education, or combination of employment and education) for an average of 24 hours per week.
- Parents must provide proof of identity
- Must be Georgia residents.
Payment Authorizations
CAPS will pay up to the state maximum reimbursement rate for each eligible child, less the family fee (refer to Appendix C – CAPS Reimbursement Rates and Appendix D – CAPS Family Fee for details) for three months.For more information, families should call 1-833-4GACAPS (1-833-442-2277).
Workforce Definition:
Tier 2:
Food and grocery personnel and those who work in this supply chain to maintain operational capacity to meet the needs of Georgians.
– Food and grocery store personnel
– Convenience store personnel
– Pharmacy personnel not included in Tier 1
– Food and grocery manufacturing
– Food processing
– Farming and food production
– Food and grocery storage, distribution, or transit
– Food and grocery delivery
– Restaurant food preparation, service, or delivery
Tier 1:
– Law enforcement, public safety, and first responder personnel (including police officers, fire fighters, emergency medical technicians, paramedics, 9-1-1 call center staff, dispatchers, and National Guard)
– Medical personnel who provide direct care to patients and the personnel who support direct care to patients (including sanitation staff, lab technicians, and reception staff)
-Pharmacy personnel (including pharmacists, technicians, and pharmacy assistants)
-Child care personnel