LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Governor Asa Hutchinson announced Friday (Aug. 7) his support for a proposal by the Arkansas Department of Education that would us Cares Act funds for up to two weeks of paid leave for school employees affected by COVID-19.
The proposed $20 million from the Cares Act would help teachers and support staff take up to two weeks of additional paid leave.
The proposal will be voted on by the Arkansas CARES Act Steering Committee by as early as next week.
It’s used for school employees who have to quarantine due to COVID-19 related reasons. At this time, the funding will last through the end of the calendar year, not to the end of the school year.
"We know there's going to be a positive case in a school. We know because of that, we might have to have a staff person that has to quartine or a teacher that has to quartine, even though they are not positive, they still need to do that" Gov. Hutchinson said. "And so we don't want that to come out of their ordinary leave, or their pocket."