Rebound Idaho: Governor's back-to-work bonus met with mixed reaction

Governor Little's "back-to-work bonus" is met with mixed reaction from constituents.

GOVERNOR BRADLITTLE ANNOUNCEDFRIDAY THAT HE'DBEGIN OFFERINGFEDERAL BONUSESFOR UNEMPLOYEDIDAHOANS.

WHENTHEY RETURN TOWORK.AS MADELINE WHITEREPORTS IN HERCONTINUINGCOVERAGE.

THEANNOUNCEMENTCREATING SOMECONTROVERSYAMONG HISCONSTITUENTS... ASTHOUSANDS OFIDAHOANS.

STILLWAIT FOR THEIRUNEMPLOYMENTBENEFITS.TONIGHT WE'LLHEAR FROM THEGOVERNOR ON WHYHE'S REWARDINGIDAHOANS WHORETURN TO WORKAS WELL ASIDAHOANS.

LIKECHAD.EXPERIENCING THELONG WAIT FORBENEFITS..AND ANN WHOWORRIES SOME WILLFALL THROUGH THECRACKS OF THIS NEWBONUS.AND CLAIRE WHO'SHUSBAND WASEMPLOYED AS ANESSENTIAL WORKERAND ASKS WHAT'SIN IT FOR THEM?BUT LET'S TAKE ITBACK TO FRIDAYWHEN THEGOVERNORANNOUNCED WHATHE REFERRED TO AS"BAIT.""WE ARE WORKINGWITH THE IDAHOWORKFORCEDEVELOPMENTCOUNCIL ON A PLANTO MAKE FEDERALRELIEF DOLLARSAVAILABLE TO IDAHOWORKERS ELIGIBLEFOR UNEMPLOYMENTBENEFITS SINCEMARCH AS A RETURNTO WORK BONUS."$1500 FOR FULL-TIME.$750 FOR PART-TIME.WHY?

BECAUSESOME IDAHOANS AREMAKING MORE ONUNEMPLOYMENTBENEFITS THAN THEYWOULD IN THEWORKFORCE."WE'RE PUTTING THISIN TO TRY ANDINCENTIVIZE PEOPLETO SAY, UH, BOTHTHE EMPLOYER ANDTHE EMPLOYEE TOSAY 'LET'S GET BACKTO WORK.'"WHILE THE LABORDEPARTMENTREPORTS THAT MORETHAN $300 MILLIONDOLLARS HAS BEENATTRIBUTED THISYEAR TO COVID-19LAYOFFSTHOUSANDS OFIDAHOANS ARE STILLWAITING, BEINGFORCED TO GET BYWITHOUT BENEFITSDUE TO ABACKLOGGEDSYSTEM .

ANABUNDANCE OFCAUTION FORPREVENTING FRAUD,ACCORDING TOLITTLE."IT BREAKS MY HEARTABOUT THESEPEOPLE THAT ARENOT GETTING THEIRBENEFITS, BUTTHERE'S THESEPROTOCOLS FROMEITHER THE FEDERALGOVERNMENT ORLAW THAT WE HAVETO GO THROUGH."CHAD FROM HAYDENSAYS IT'S A FINE IDEABUT WONDERS IF THEMONEY FOR THESEBONUSES COULDN'TBE DIRECTEDTOWARD HIRINGMORE LABORDEPARTMENTADJUDICATORS."I WISH THEY WOULDJUST GET THE FIRSTPROBLEM FIXEDFIRST."ANN FROM BOISESAYS HER HUSBANDIS STILL WAITING FORBENEFITS AFTER 5WEEKS.

HE'S GONEBACK TO WORKBUT SHE WORRIESHE'LL FALL THROUGHTHE CRACKS FORTHE BONUS SINCEHIS EMPLOYER IS OUTOF STATE."IF IT'LL GO THROUGHEMPLOYERS WHOARE BASED INIDAHO.

THEN HEWILL MISS OUT ONTHAT BENEFIT AGAIN!"WE'LL KNOW MOREABOUT ELIGIBILITYWHEN THEYANNOUNCE DETAILSJUNE 15TH.

BUTCLAIRE FROM BOISEWONDERS HOW IT'SFAIR THAT ESSENTIALWORKERS GETNOTHING?"YOU'VE GOT SOMEPEOPLE WHO AREHAVING TO BASICALLYWORK IN THE LION'SDEN.

AND YET THEYNEVER GOT THEOFFER OF HAVINGTHEIR PAYINCREASED."LITTLE'SADMINISTRATIONSAYS PAYMENTS WILLBE DISTRIBUTED ON AFIRST-COME, FIRST-SERVED BASIS, UP TO$100 MILLION.MW ON- CAM:LITTLE'S BUDGETCHIEF SAYS THEYMIGHT BE ABLE TOSUPPLEMENT THISPROGRAM TO AGREATER EXTENT.DEPENDING ON HOWMUCH IS LEFT OVERFROM THE SMALLBUSINESS REBOUNDCASH GRANTS.'MADELINE WHITE.IDAHO NEWS 6.JOIN OUR REBOUNDIDAHO FACEBOOKGROUP ...TO STAYUP-TO-DATE ONSTORIES LIKETHESE... AND FUTUREDEVELOPMENTS.BACKERS OF APROPOSE