Mayor expands vaccination eligibility to food service workers, security guards and janitors

Any food service employee, security guard or janitor living or working in Detroit, regardless of age, can now call to schedule an appointment to receive the COVID-19 vaccine at the TCF Center. The expansion was announced by Mayor Mike Duggan at a news briefing February 2.

Last week, Mayor Duggan announced that the Detroit Health Department would receive 15,000 vaccine doses, allowing the City of Detroit to nearly triple the number of vaccinations at the TCF Center.

The full list of eligible individuals now includes:

• NEW: Food service workers, including grocery store, restaurant, meat packing and food and beverage handling employees, living or working in Detroit
• NEW: Security guards living or working in Detroit
• NEW: Janitors living or working in Detroit
• Any Detroit resident age 65 or older
• K-12 teachers and support staff and day care workers
• U.S. Post Office employees who live or work in Detroit
• Employees of the City of Detroit or City-related agencies who are working from their regular job site (Employees working from home are not eligible at this time)
• State and federal law enforcement living or working in Detroit at a work site
• Clergy members interacting face-to-face with members of their congregation
• Funeral home/mortuary employees living or working in Detroit
• Healthcare workers with the potential for direct or indirect exposure to patients or infectious materials working in Detroit

Scheduling Appointments

Eligible residents can call 313-230-0505 between 9 a.m. – 6 p.m., Monday – Friday to make an appointment. Vaccinations will be administered by appointment only.

When they schedule their appointment, individuals will be provided two appointment dates, one for the first dose and another for the required second dose. Call center staff will contact individuals to remind them of their second appointment.

Individuals also will be provided specific instructions on when and where to arrive to the TCF Center, where they will be required to fill out a basic consent form. City officials are extending the hours of operation at the TCF Center to 8 a.m. – 7 p.m.

Detroit Health Department expands on-site vaccinations

With the City’s additional allotment, the Health Department will triple its efforts to vaccinate the most vulnerable populations at homeless shelters and senior citizen buildings. So far, the Detroit Health Department, working with the Wayne State University Medical School, has vaccinated 503 staff and residents at 11 senior living facilities and 711 staff and residents at 12 homeless shelters.

Applying for Earned Income Tax Credit even more important this year due to impact of COVID

The City of Detroit and its partners are ready to help residents navigate COVID-19 related changes to claim their maximum refund through the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). The changes were outlined at Mayor Mike Duggan’s news briefing February 2. EITC partners include Accounting Aid Society, United Way for Southeastern Michigan, Wayne Metropolitan Community Action Agency and Detroit at Work.

To allow more individuals to still claim their EITC this year, taxpayers who may have been out of work for much of 2020, for example, will be allowed to file tax returns based on their 2019 or 2020 earned income instead to remain eligible for the EITC.

Who is Eligible to Claim the EITC?

The EITC is available to working families and individuals who meet certain income requirements. The amount of the refund depends on income, filing status and number of qualifying children claimed on their returns.

Key Changes for This Year

EITC and Lookback
This year, individuals who have been out of work in 2020 can still benefit from the EITC by choosing to calculate their EITC based on their 2019 income. This tax season, filers can choose to use either their 2019 or 2020 earned income to calculate the Earned Income Tax Credit on their 2020 income tax returns.

Recovery Rebate
Eligible individuals who did not receive their stimulus check or received less than they were eligible for – either the first or the second payment – may be able to claim it when they file their 2020 taxes in 2021 under the Recovery Rebate Credit.

Unemployment Benefits
Unemployment benefits (including pandemic unemployment insurance) are considered taxable income, but do not count as earned income. For individuals that did not withhold taxes from their unemployment payments, it could lower their tax refund or certain clients may owe taxes.
 

In addition, individuals with income up to $57,000 qualify for free tax preparation assistance through Virtual VITA or Drop and Go. Eligible Detroit residents also can use free online tax software and prepare their returns themselves through United Way’s MyFreeTaxes program or Turbo Tax Free File.

To learn more about EITC, new guidelines for this tax season and to schedule an appointment, residents can go to www.claimyourrefund.com or call 211.