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<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><img width="624" height="147" style="width:6.5in;height:1.5312in" id="_x0000_i1025" src="cid:image001.png@01D65934.BE403A20"></span></b><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">July 13, 2020<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><u><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans"">10,000 Return to Work bonuses sought during first day of opening<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">Boise, Idaho – Governor Brad Little announced that more than 10,000 Idaho Return to Work bonuses were sought for employees by nearly 2,000 Idaho businesses today – the first day of the application
window opening.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">“The incredibly strong response from employers in our Return to Work Bonuses indicates businesses absolutely need this incentive in order to get their employees back to work,”
</span></b><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">Governor Little said.<b> “There’s a reason President Trump and Congressional Republicans are looking to Idaho – hard-hit businesses need all the help they can get now that our economy is open and jobs are coming
back.” <o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">The Return to Work bonuses are Idaho’s approach to counteracting enhanced federal benefits that discourage workers returning to jobs. More than 60-percent of Americans who are out of work due to
the coronavirus pandemic earn more with enhanced unemployment benefits than their normal wages.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><strong><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">“The Return to Work bonuses are based on a fundamental conservative principle – we do not want people on unemployment. We want people working. We’re responding to the needs of businesses,
strengthening our workforce and economic rebound, and saving taxpayer dollars in the long run,”</span></strong><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""> Governor Little added.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">Idaho set aside $100 million in federal coronavirus relief funds to cover the bonuses. One-time cash bonuses of up to $1,500 for full-time work and up to $750 for part-time work and will be provided
to the worker after return to the workplace. The funds are available on a first-come, first-served basis (based on date of return to work) for qualified applicants. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">“A strong economic rebound cannot occur without workers returning to a job, and the Return to Work cash bonuses counteract the federal payouts and incentivize our workforce to get back to work
safely,” </span></b><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">Governor Little said.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">Employers apply for the bonuses on behalf of their employees. Eligibility requirements and information on how to apply are available at
</span><a href="https://rebound.idaho.gov/return-to-work-bonuses/"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">https://rebound.idaho.gov/return-to-work-bonuses/</span></a><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""># # #<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">NEWS MEDIA CONTACT: Marissa Morrison Hyer, Press Secretary<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">208-943-1686 or </span>
<a href="mailto:marissa.morrison@gov.idaho.gov"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">marissa.morrison@gov.idaho.gov</span></a><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">--<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><a href="https://visitor.r20.constantcontact.com/manage/optin?v=001jPcDrZTUF2iffZAaFR5CaCO9D9OTNmcIrS9m2JnRBQLxSmCCDvAfzkhQC6WRNcW4O6931CUyPvAzTSP21AiJ4rioUvabaHbWJxzuwF2hEYM%3D"><i><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">Sign up to receive
news from Governor Little</span></i></a><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">Reply to this e-mail to unsubscribe</span></i><o:p></o:p></p>
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