COVID-19 Individual Resources

Latest News and Resources

NC DHHS Resources for Child Care

With school now underway, many working parents are facing the added stress of finding a safe place for their children during the day that can also support their remote learning. The good news is that there is ample licensed child care available across the state, and we are making it as easy as possible for families to find it. In partnership with Child Care Resources and Referral, the NC Department of Health and Human Services created a free hotline to connect families to licensed care for their school-age children. Families can call the hotline at 1-888-600-1685.

NCDHHS Announces New Testing and Contact Tracing Tools

Click here to learn more and access the PDF with the hyperlinks to information

Resources for Renters Facing Eviction

Click here for a PDF of the image above.

How to Apply for Unemployment Extension

“I am about to exhaust my 12 weeks of state unemployment benefits. What do I do?”

PEUC is here to help! Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) is an extension to state unemployment insurance benefits, for benefit weeks ending Saturdays, April 4 through Dec. 26, 2020.

PEUC is made available through the federal CARES Act. Click here for more information.

Protect Yourself

Where You can Get Tested for COVID-19

North Carolinians can now go online to find a testing site on the DHHS website. The list will be updated regularly as testing sites may shift in the coming weeks. There are more than 200 sample site locations in 54 North Carolina counties, some at no cost to the test taker. Doctors and clinicians may also do in-office testing. 

Rapid Response Materials for Recently Laid Off/Furloughed Employees

Unemployment Insurance Info

Pandemic Unemployment Assistance

Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, or PUA, is a federal program for people:

  • Who are unable to work as a direct result of COVID-19 AND
  • Are not eligible for regular state unemployment benefits, such as independent contractors or self employed workers.

Apply at des.nc.gov

  • If you are an independent contractor or self-employed worker who was laid off or had your hours reduced due to COVID-19, the online benefits system will determine whether you are eligible for state unemployment or Pandemic Unemployment Assistance through a single application.
  • If you applied and were denied for state unemployment benefits before April 24, we may need additional information to determine whether you are eligible for PUA. Sign into your online account and click on the Apply for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance link to complete the process.
  • If your claim is listed as ‘pending,’ we are still reviewing your eligibility for state unemployment benefits. You may not apply for PUA while your claim is pending.
  • If you are currently receiving state unemployment benefits, you are not eligible for PUA.

PUA Payments

If there are no issues with your claim, payment should be issued
approximately 14 days after you file for PUA.

To receive payments, you must complete a Weekly Certification for every week you file for benefits. In your Weekly Certification, report any wages you earned during that week.

For benefit weeks ending April 4 through July 25, 2020, an additional $600 in weekly Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation will be paid with your PUA benefits. You do not need to apply separately for these payments.

Any benefits owed for previous weeks will be paid retroactively.

Tips for Applying for PUA

Upload all necessary documents, such as proof of income or proof of medical diagnosis, with your application before you click ‘Submit.’

If you do not have your documents when you start your application, you can save your work and come back to it when you are ready to submit all of your information.

Complete your Weekly Certifications for every week you are filing for benefits.

A Weekly Certification is a series of yes/no questions that helps determine your eligibility for benefits each week. If you do not complete a Weekly Certification, you will not be considered for payment.

Log into your online account to complete your Weekly Certification. If you do not have online access, call 888-372-3453 (Weekly Certifications only).

Click here for a PDF of this information

To Apply for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, click here

CARES Act and What It Means for You

On March 27, the Senate passed a roughly $2 trillion coronavirus response bill intended to speed relief across the American economy.

The bill includes several elements aimed at helping keep people engaged in the economy. That means direct cash for many, plus expanded unemployment benefits and new rules for things like filing your taxes and making retirement contributions.

  • Cash payments: Most individuals earning less than $75,000 can expect a one-time cash payment of $1,200. Married couples would each receive a check and families would get $500 per child. That means a family of four earning less than $150,000 can expect $3,400. The checks start to phase down after that and disappear completely for people making more than $99,000 and couples making more than $198,000. The cash payments are based on either your 2018 or 2019 tax filings. People who receive Social Security benefits but don’t file tax return are still eligible, too. They don’t need to file taxes; their checks will be based on information provided by the Social Security Administration.
  • Extra unemployment payments: This bill adds $600 per week from the federal government on top of whatever base amount a worker receives from the state. That boosted payment will last for four months. For example, if an out-of-work person is receiving the national average of about $340 per week, under the new federal program their take-home pay will be $940. The legislation also adds 13 weeks of unemployment insurance. People nearing the maximum number of weeks allowed by their state would get an extension. New filers would also be allowed to collect the benefits for the longer period. The bill makes major changes to unemployment assistance, increasing the benefits and broadening who is eligible. States will still continue to pay unemployment to people who qualify. That amount varies state by state, as does the amount of time people are allowed to claim it.
  • Gig workers and freelancers: Typically, self-employed people, freelancers and contractors can’t apply for unemployment. This bill creates a new, temporary Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program through the end of this year to help people who lose work as a direct result of the public health emergency.
  • Tax returns: Some people have not filed their 2019 tax returns, but that’s OK. The filing deadline has been extended to July 15. The IRS also says that people who have filed or plan to can still expect to receive a refund if they are owed one.
  • Student loans: Employers can provide up to $5,250 in tax-free student loan repayment benefits. That means an employer could contribute to loan payments and workers wouldn’t have to include that money as income.
  • Insurance coverage: The bill requires all private insurance plans to cover COVID-19 treatments and vaccine and makes all coronavirus tests free.
  • Temporary student loan relief: All loan and interest payments would be deferred through Sept. 30 without penalty to the borrower for all federally owned student loans.
  • Work-study funds: It allows schools to turn unused work-study funds into supplemental grants and continue paying work-study wages while schools are suspended.

Call North Carolina 2-1-1

NC 2-1-1 is an information and referral service that families and individuals can call to obtain free and confidential information on health and human services resources within their community. NC 2-1-1 operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year and resources are available in most languages. Call 2-1-1.

Regional Farmers’ Markets

NC Texting Tool to Access Food for Children

Governor Roy Cooper has announced that parents who need food assistance for their children can text FOODNC to 877-877 to locate nearby free meal sites. The texting service is also available in Spanish by texting COMIDA to 877-877.

After entering their address, parents will receive a text with the location and serving times for nearby pick-up and drive-thru free meal sites while schools are closed. Sites have been set up across the state for families with children ages 18 and younger, including preschool children, who rely on free and reduced-price meals at school.

Additionally, No Kid Hungry has created a map of local school sites, community organizations and food assistance programs across North Carolina where families can access food. The interactive map can be viewed at nokidhungrync.org/covid19/ and is updated daily.

Meals for Kids in North Carolina During COVID-19 School Closures

http://nokidhungrync.org/covid19/

Food Benefits and Resources During COVID-19 (en español)

Coping During COVID-19

Red Cross Resources

“You can still go out and give blood. We’re worried about potential blood shortages in the future. Social distancing does not have to mean social disengagement.” – U.S. Surgeon General

NCDHHS Calls for Healthcare Volunteers

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NC DHHS) is calling for health care volunteers to assist with the COVID-19 response. They are seeking volunteers in the following areas:

  • Clinical (physicians, advanced care providers, nurses, EMS)
  • Clinical Support (pharmacy, imaging and respiratory care)
  • Non-clinical support (facility maintenance, safety, and administrative)

In her letter, Secretary Mandy Cohen says, “With the virus now spreading in North Carolina, we need to bolster our health care system to ensure we can care for those impacted by the virus. A crucial part of that effort is recruiting volunteers to supplement our health care workforce.”

The full letter is available HERE.

You can register to volunteer through the NC Training, Exercise, and Response Management System (NC TERMS) HERE. Step-by-step instructions how to register in NC TERMS are available HERE.

Information for Older Adults

All Congregate/Nutrition centers across the region are closed. Take-out options as well as home delivered food options vary per county. 

If you are in need of assistance, please call your local senior center for information or the Area Agency on Aging at (828)-287-2281.

Mountain Projects – (828) 452-1447 or (828) 356 2800. The national Disaster Distress Helpline 24/7/365 crisis counseling & emotional support continues to be available for anyone experiencing distress or other mental health concerns during the ongoing COVID-19 infectious disease outbreak. Call 1-800-985-5990 (press “2” for Spanish) or text TalkWithUs to 66746 to access this service.

Resources for Long-Term Care Facilities

Rutherford County Strike Team for COVID-19 Patients

The Rutherford County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) has developed unique medical strike teams to check in on patients suffering from COVID-19. It is the best medical practice for patients to isolate at home and treat with fluids, an anti-fever medication such as Tylenol, and rest.

However, with several high risk populations, Rutherford County wants to provide special focus on their needs. Each Strike Team consists of one or two paramedics or EMT’s who will provide a follow up well check via phone or in person of COVID-19 patients that are under self-isolation protocols. They will also perform vital sign checks on these patients and work closely with Rutherford Regional Health System’s providers to utilize telemedicine services if needed. The EOC in conjunction with Rutherford Regional Medical Center, will stay in contact with these patients to monitor how they are progressing. If a patient become critical, EMS will transport them to Rutherford Regional for additional resources. Frequency of contact will depend on availability of medical resources and the total number of patients.

The Health Department is continuing to test qualified individuals for COVID-19 per CDC guidelines and are also operating a COVID-19 Medical Screening Hotline at (828) 289-1185 which operates 8AM – 5PM, 7 days per week.

If you have any further questions you may contact the Public Information Officer at covid19@rutherfordcountync.gov. To receive daily local COVID alerts, please text your zip code to 888777.

Resources for Individual Workers

Resources for Service, Restaurant, and Hospitality Industry Workers