IMMEDIATE STEPS TO TAKE
[Santa Barbara, March 17, 2020] As the spread and impact of COVID-19 is still an unknown, it is recommended that employers and self-employed individuals to take the following action steps:
- CONTACT YOUR INSURANCE PROVIDER - Do
you have business interruption insurance? If so, you may have coverage that
supplements any income or sales loss during this time. - TRACK LOSSES - During moments of disruption it is
important to track any loss your business may have incurred as programs
designed to assist cash flow needs and access to capital depend on accurate
counts of economic injury or production loss. - DO YOU HAVE PERFORMANCE-BASED CONTRACTS WITH YOUR SUPPLIERS OR
CUSTOMERS? - reviewing your current contracts and obligations will clarify
limitations of liability and force majeure. - HAS YOUR BUSINESS EXPERIENCED DISRUPTION OR CONCERN IN THE
FOLLOWING AREAS? - Supply
chain disruption and liability - Questions
or concerns about the implications of tariffs - Technology
plans for setting up remote work stations for employees - Concerns
about cash flow during disruption - Concerns
about credit and finance issues - Concerns
about force majeure
5. NO-COST BUSINESS CONSULTING IS AVAILABLE!
For businesses that have experienced the following concerns
or disruptions, you can contact us for assistance at COVIDbiz@countyofsb.org .
STAY INFORMED
Visit and register (when
applicable) with the following websites to keep up to date with the latest news
and information related to COVID-19.
County of Santa Barbara -
www.countyofsb.org
Santa Barbara County Public Health - publichealthsbc.org
California Governor’s Office of Business &
Economic Development - business.ca.gov/coronavirus-2019
California Department of Public Health -
www.cdph.ca.gov
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov
ASSISTANCE FOR EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES
ASSISTANCE FOR EMPLOYERS
Work Share Program
Employers experiencing a
slowdown in their businesses or services as a result of the Coronavirus impact
on the economy may apply for the UI Work Sharing Program through the EDD. This
program allows employers to seek an alternative to layoffs - retaining their
trained employees by reducing their hours and wages that can be partially
offset with UI benefits.
Workers of employers who
are approved to participate in the Work Sharing Program receive the percentage
of their weekly Unemployment Insurance benefit amount based on the percentage
of hours and wages reduced, not to exceed 60 percent.
Visit the
Work
Sharing Program t o
learn more about its benefits for employers and
employees, and how to apply.
Extension Filing Payroll Tax
Employers statewide
directly affected by the new coronavirus (COVID-19) may request up to a 60-day
extension of time from the EDD to file their state payroll reports and/or
deposit payroll taxes without penalty or interest. This extension may be
granted under Section 1111.5 of the California Unemployment Insurance Code
(CUIC). A written request for extension must be received within 60 days from
the original delinquent date of the payment or return. For more information,
please visit EDD
website .
ASSISTANCE FOR EMPLOYEES
Unemployment Insurance
Individuals who have had
their hours reduced or have lost their job through no fault of their own may be
eligible for unemployment benefits. Learn more by visiting the
EDD website .
Note: Governor’s Emergency
Proclamations waive the non-payable one-week waiting period for regular UI
benefit payments to eligible individuals affected by current disasters. This
means individuals can be paid benefits for the first week they are unemployed
due to the disaster.
Disability Insurance
Individuals who are
unable to work due to having or being exposed to COVID-19
(certified by a medical professional) can file a Disability
Insurance (DI) claim .
Disability Insurance
provides short-term benefit payments to eligible workers who have full or
partial loss of wages due to a non-work-related illness, injury, or pregnancy.
Benefit amounts are approximately 60-70 percent of wages (depending on income)
and range from $50 -$1,300 a week.
Paid Family Leave
Californians who are
unable to work because they are caring for an ill or quarantined family member
with COVID-19 (certified by a medical professional) can
file a Paid
Family Leave (PFL) claim .
Paid Family Leave
provides up to six weeks of benefit payments to eligible workers who have a
full or partial loss of wages because they need time off work to care for a
seriously ill family member or to bond with a new child.
Benefit amounts are
approximately 60-70 percent of wages (depending on income) and range from $50 -
$1,300 a week.
BUSINESS DISRUPTION LOANS
Economic Development Collaborative (EDC) Disaster Loan Fund
Economic
Development Collaborative (EDC) is offering low interest micro loans from
$5,000-$50,000 through our Disaster Loan Fund to give a cash flow boost to
businesses impacted by reduced sales, supply chain disruption or other
challenges related to COVI D-19. Contact Marvin Boateng, Lending Manager to
apply or for additional assistance navigating access to capital. Emai l marvin@edcollaborative.com or cal l (805) 409-9158.
U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Economic Injury
Disaster Loans
Note: At this time, assistance will become available when the
State of California qualifies for federal aid. We believe this will be eminent.
The U.S. Small Business
Administration is offering designated states and territories low-interest
federal disaster loans for working capital to small businesses suffering
substantial economic injury as a result of the Coronavirus (COVID-19).
SBA’s Economic Injury
Disaster Loans offer up to $2 million in assistance and can provide vital
economic support to small businesses to help overcome the temporary loss of
revenue they are experiencing.
These loans may be used
to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills that cannot be
paid because of the disaster’s impact. The interest rate is 3.75% for small
businesses without credit available elsewhere; businesses with credit available
elsewhere are not eligible. The interest rate for non-profits is 2.75%.
SBA offers loans with
long-term repayments in order to keep payments affordable, up to a maximum of
30 years. Terms are determined on a case-by-case basis, based upon each
borrower’s ability to repay.
For additional
information, please contact the SBA disaster assistance customer service
center. Call 1-800-659-2955 (TTY: 1-800-877-8339) or e-mail
disastercustomerservice@sba.gov .
Women’s Economic Ventures (WEV)
WEV will be offering loans soon. Please check the WEV website for updates. For WEV existing loans, you can apply for a WEV Quick Response
Loan to request deferment for up to three payments. Contact Marni Brook at mbrook@wevonline.org or Marta Quintero at mquintero@wevonline.org for more information.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES
CA Governor’s Office of Business and
Economic Development COVID-19 Business Resources The California’s Governor’s Office of
Business and Economic Development has released information on their website for
employees and employers impacted by COVID-19. Visit their website for more
information.
Labor & Workforce Development Agency
(LWDA) Guidance for Employers and Workers
The LWDA has a
guidance to make it easier and spread awareness through this centralized source
of information on the LWDA website to help
determine what is best for the businesses, their employees, and their family.
California Employment Development Department (EDD) COVID-19
Online Resources
The State of California EDD provides
a variety of support services affected by COVID-19 in California. The EDD
website offers many services online for businesses and employees.
SBA COVID-19 Business Guide
The U.S. Small Business
Administration (SBA) has released a comprehensive guide to help businesses plan
and respond to the current COVID-19 threat. Visit the
SBA
website for more information.
CDC COVID-19 Business Guide
The Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC) have created an interim guide based on what is
currently known about the coronavirus
disease 2019 (COVID-19) . For
access to the full guide and more information, please visit the CDC
website .
Local Chambers of Commerce
Stay connected with your local
Chamber of Commerce. Chambers of
Commerce are well connected with the business community and legislative and
they all are collecting additional resources to assist businesses.
Buellton Chamber of Commerce &
Visitors Bureau, www.buellton.org ,
805.688.7829
Carpinteria Valley Chamber of
Commerce, www.carpinteriachamber.org ,
805.684.5479
Goleta Chamber of Commerce, goletachamber.com ,
805.967.2500
Lompoc Chamber of Commerce &
Visitors Bureau, www.lompoc.com ,
805.736.4567
Santa Barbara Chamber of Commerce, www.sbchamber.org ,
805.965.3023
Santa Maria Valley Chamber of
Commerce, santamaria.com ,
805.925.2403
Solvang Chamber of Commerce, www.solvangcc.com ,
805.688.0701
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR EMPLOYERS TO TAKE NOW
Note: This information
is not intended to be used as medical advice. Please contact your local health
professional or visit the CDC
website for further
information.
President’s Coronavirus Guidelines for America: 15 Days to Slow the Spread
The president recently released these simple guidelines to encourage all of us to do our part to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Actively encourage sick employees to stay home
Employees who have
symptoms of acute respiratory illness are recommended to stay home and not come
to work until they are free of fever (100.4° F [37.8° C] or greater using an
oral thermometer), signs of a fever, and any other symptoms for at least 24
hours, without the use of fever-reducing or other symptom-altering medicines
(e.g. cough suppressants). Employees should notify their supervisor and stay
home if they are sick.
Ensure that your sick
leave policies are flexible and consistent with public health guidance and that
employees are aware of these policies.
Talk with companies that
provide your business with contract or temporary employees about the importance
of sick employees staying home and encourage them to develop non- punitive
leave policies.
Do
not require a healthcare provider’s note for employees who are sick with acute
respiratory illness to validate their illness or to return to work, as
healthcare provider offices and medical facilities may be extremely busy and
not able to provide such documentation in a timely way.
Employers should maintain
flexible policies that permit employees to stay home to care for a sick family
member. Employers should be aware that more employees may need to stay at home
to care for sick children or other sick family members than is usual.
Separate sick employees
CDC
recommends that employees who appear to have acute respiratory illness symptoms
(i.e. cough, shortness of breath) upon arrival to work or become sick during
the day should be separated from other employees and be sent home immediately.
Sick employees should cover their noses and mouths with a tissue when coughing
or sneezing (or an elbow or shoulder if no tissue
is available).
Emphasize staying home when sick, respiratory etiquette and hand
hygiene by all employees
Place posters that
encourage staying home when sick , cough
and sneeze etiquette , and hand hygiene at the entrance to your
workplace and in other workplace areas where they are likely to be
seen.
Provide tissues and
no-touch disposal receptacles for use by employees.
Instruct employees to
clean their hands often with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at
least 60-95% alcohol, or wash their hands with soap and water for at least 20
seconds. Soap and water should be used preferentially if hands are visibly
dirty.
Provide soap and water
and alcohol-based hand rubs in the workplace. Ensure that adequate supplies are
maintained. Place hand rubs in multiple locations or in conference rooms to
encourage hand hygiene.
Visit
the coughing and sneezing etiquette and clean hands webpage for more
information.
Perform routine environmental cleaning
Routinely clean all
frequently touched surfaces in the workplace, such as workstations,
countertops, and doorknobs. Use the cleaning agents that are usually used in these
areas and follow the directions on the label.
No
additional disinfection beyond routine cleaning is recommended at this time.
Provide disposable wipes so that commonly used surfaces (for example,
doorknobs, keyboards, remote controls, desks) can be wiped down by employees
before each use.
Advise employees before traveling to take certain steps
Check the CDC’s
Traveler’s Health Notices for
the latest guidance and recommendations for each
country to which you will travel. Specific travel information for travelers
going to and returning from China, and information for aircrew, can be found at
on the CDC
website . Advise employees to check themselves for symptoms of acute
respiratory illness before starting travel and notify their supervisor and stay home if they are
sick.
Ensure employees who
become sick while traveling or on temporary assignment understand that they
should notify their supervisor and should promptly call a healthcare provider
for advice if needed.
If outside the United
States, sick employees should follow your company’s policy for obtaining
medical care or contact a healthcare provider or overseas medical assistance
company to assist them with finding an appropriate healthcare provider in that
country. A U.S. consular officer can help locate healthcare services. However,
U.S. embassies, consulates, and military facilities do not have the legal
authority, capability, and resources to evacuate or give medicines, vaccines,
or medical care to private U.S. citizens overseas.