Unemployment waiting week waiver going back into effect
On May 7, a new rule is going into effect to waive the unpaid waiting week for new unemployment applicants, who will now be paid for the first week they are eligible for unemployment benefits. Anyone who was not paid for their waiting week for weeks ending Jan. 9, 2021, or later will be reimbursed retroactively after May 7 by the state Employment Security Department.
In the next week, anyone whose waiting week ended Jan. 9, 2021 or later will get a payment for their waiting week the same way they’ve been paid for other weeks. If this relates to you, check the alerts in your eServices account for more information.
The rule will stay in effect until further notice.
$10 million in grants to help nonprofit community organizations
The Washington State Department of Commerce is partnering with ArtsFund to provide more than $10 million in grants to help community organizations across the state that have been impacted by the pandemic. The Nonprofit Community Relief grant program focuses on arts, culture, science and heritage nonprofits, as well as organizations whose primary mission is to serve veterans, neighborhood organizations and sports and recreation programs for adults and/or children.
Eligible organizations must have 501(c)(3) status, or fiscal sponsorship by a 501(c)(3), with appropriate documentation since their 2019 fiscal year. Additionally, organizations must have operating budgets of at least $25,000.
“Nonprofits strengthen communities by providing cultural, creative, recreational and other enrichment opportunities and by linking people to others with common interests,” said Commerce Director Lisa Brown. “This has been especially true during the pandemic. People are looking for ways to maintain community and cultural connections and these nonprofit organizations provide that important link.”
Brown added that nonprofits have been especially hard hit by the pandemic, and their recovery is crucial to a full and equitable economic recovery throughout Washington state.
The Nonprofit Community Relief grant application portal opened Monday at www.artsfund.org/ncrgrants. Applications are online only.
It is strongly recommended that interested organizations explore the website early to determine their eligibility and review application requirements and FAQs. Organizations that are led by and/or serve under-resourced communities, culturally diverse populations and underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply.
The application portal will close May 24 and grants are expected to be awarded in early to mid-June.
Timberland Bancorp honored
Timberland Bancorp Inc. announced that Timberland has been recognized by Keefe Bruyette & Woods by its inclusion in KBW’s 2021 Bank Honor Roll. To be eligible for this award, a bank must have assets of more than $500 million and must have reported increases in annual earnings per share for ten consecutive years. Timberland was one of three new members included in the 2021 KBW Bank Honor Roll. Only 16 banking institutions nationally qualified for this award.
Timberland also announced that it received the 2020 Raymond James Community Bankers Cup award. The award recognizes the top 10% of a select group of community banks chosen by Raymond James based on various profitability, operational efficiency, and balance sheet metrics. This award marks the fourth consecutive year Timberland has earned this recognition. The pool of banks considered for recognition includes all exchange-traded domestic banks, excluding mutual holding companies, with assets between $500 million and $10 billion as of December 31, 2020.
“We are honored to have been added to the KBW Bank Honor Roll this year,” said Michael Sand, president and CEO. “Being recognized by KBW as a new member of this prestigious group of community banks is a great affirmation of our extraordinary staff and their commitment to our customers and to the communities we serve. KBW determined that just 4% of all banks screened, qualified for inclusion in the KBW Bank Honor Roll for 2021.
“We are also delighted to have received the Raymond James Bankers Cup Award for 2020,” said Sand. “Our inclusion, which was just announced this month, recognizes our performance in the midst of a very challenging national economy. We’re pleased to be ranked among the top-performing community banks in the country for the fourth consecutive year.”
Harbor Home and Health celebrates 40th anniversary
Harbors Home Health and Hospice recently celebrated its 40th year on the Harbor with a catered lunch for employees and volunteers at the Hoquiam location. The building, at 201 7th St. in Hoquiam, might go unnoticed if not for the traffic of tons of nurses and healthcare providers on their way to the many homes in which they work.
“We provide people with end-of-life care with home health services and medical services, so people are able to stay in their homes longer and stay in their communities longer, and they’re able to stay out of the system longer, ” says Joel Stephens, chief executive officer.
The program focuses on providing in-home skilled nursing and therapy for the home-bound as well as end of life comfort and support for those being cared for at home by family. They do this for more than 300 households in Grays Harbor and Pacific counties with more than 70 employees.
Developed as an organizational effort with the Grays Harbor County Health Department in 1980, it became a nonprofit with an independent board of directors and incorporated in 1981 and began offering hospice care and the name changed to Harbors Home Health and Hospice in 1990.
