Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Jim Stamas on Monday called for laying off non-essential state employees because of state budget concerns amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The Michigan Department of Treasury estimates the impact on the 2020 state budget to be between $1 billion and $3 billion.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s stay-at-home order, originally issued March 24, 2020, was extended until April 30. The order was originally intended to expire April 13. Violators are subject to fines up to $1,000, increased from the original maximum of $500 and jail sentences up to 90 days via a misdemeanor charge. Businesses that defy the order will be subject to penalties determined by their licensing agencies.
Data collected by the U.S. Department of Labor in Michigan from the week ending April 4 reveals one of the steepest unemployment increases in the nation. More than 80,509 people filed for unemployment, bringing the total number of Michigan unemployed workers to 384,844.
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