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Good morning #ChamberWorld! It's going to be a great day!
Fix the Restore Illinois Plan to Save Restaurants
Under the current Restore Illinois plan, restaurants and bars throughout the state will be unable to resume dine in operations until June 26 at the very earliest. This approach underestimates the restaurant industry’s ability to reopen and operate safely with enhanced public health measures in place.
The Illinois Restaurant Association is calling on Governor Pritzker and the General Assembly to modify the Restore Illinois plan to allow restaurants and bars to resume their dine in service in a limited capacity during Phase 3.
Public health and safety have always been and continue to be the top priorities for every owner, operator, and employee in the restaurant industry. Illinois’ restaurants are fully capable and ready to resume dine in service with limited occupancy, six feet between tables, PPE for employees, and many other preventative measures. We are eager to work with the state on developing these pragmatic regulations that give restaurants the opportunity to resume their dine in operations in a timely manner.
Send a message to the Governor and leaders in the General Assembly to consider these recommendations and collaborate with the restaurant industry to allow for restaurants and bars to safely reopen their dine in operations during Phase 3 of Restore Illinois.
Read more on the IRA's efforts in Chicago Sun-Times.
Click here to take action.
144 people registered for Kokomo Forward: Reopening Business Safely webinar today!!
PPT Access: You can download the PPT as a PDF document on our website here: https://www.greaterkokomo.com/chamber-of-commerce/resources-during-covid-19
Video recording: The replay of the webinar is already up on the Greater Kokomo Chamber’s Facebook page. The Mayor, County Commissioner President, and Health Department’s Medical Officer presented with me moderating today.
Local business COVID-19 Plan Poster/Graphic: We have a poster/graphic for businesses or organizations showing they have a COVID-19 plan in place that we talked about in the presentation. I attached an example of what we are doing for our members to display in their businesses!
Local PPE resource collection and list: We have created a form for local businesses to let the chamber know if they have PPE or other business resources to help businesses reopen. They can fill out the form at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KokomoForwardPPE or can email me at Lkerns@greaterkokomo.com.
Sharing the PPE resources list: We will share the list of chamber members with PPE supplies and other resources in a shared Google Sheet that anyone can view.
Lots going on in Kokomo!!
Crossroads Regional Chamber of Commerce 2020 Community Profile & Membership Directory
The Crossroads Regional Chamber of Commerce 2020 Community Profile & Membership Directory is available at the Crossroads Regional Chamber today! Thanks to Deann Patena and the chamber team for their help and direction putting this together!
Town SquarePublications (www.townsquarepublications.com) can help you accomplish your chamber's gloss map, directory, community profile or publication needs at no expense to the chamber. Please email John Dussman at jdussman@tspubs.com or call (847)-427-4633.
U.S. Chamber: Resources
You Need for Combating the Corona Virus
Our nation and our economy are facing an unprecedented crisis. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is marshaling all its resources to help companies stay afloat and keep paychecks flowing to American workers and families; mobilize the business community to combat the pandemic; and help companies prepare for a safe, successful, and sustainable reopening of the economy.
No family and no business should go bankrupt as a result of the coronavirus.
Jump to:
Resources & Guidance | Policy & Advocacy | Business Community Response
Economic Impact | The Path Forward
RESOURCES, GUIDES & WEBINARS
Help for Small Businesses
For a full list of resources, webinars, research and advocacy for small businesses, and to find out how you can help small businesses in your community, visit the Save Small Business Initiative.
Todas las guías para pequeñas empresas están también disponibles en español. Presiones en cualquier enlace a continuación para acceder a la versión en español.
CO— Coronavirus Small Business Hub
Delivering the latest resources, advice and information to help small businesses navigate this challenging time, including financial aid guides, remote working tips, best practices, links to webinars and townhalls, and much more. Follow @GrowWithCo for the latest.
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Guide to Small Business Emergency Loans (PPP)
The CARES Act allocated $350 billion to help small firms keep workers employed. Called the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), the initiative provides 100% federally guaranteed loans that can be forgiven if borrowers maintain or restore payrolls. Check eligibility, calculate borrowing limits, and apply using this guide.
Guide to Small Business Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL)
The CARES Act expanded the SBA’s long-standing Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program (EIDL), which includes additional loan programs and $10,000 emergency grants. Check eligibility, calculate borrowing limits, and apply using this guide.
Main Street Lending Program Guide
As a result of the CARES Act, the Federal Reserve created the Main Street Lending Program to provide a total of $600 billion in financing for small and medium-sized businesses. Check eligibility, calculate borrowing parameters (loans start at $500,000), and learn how to apply for one of the program’s three new lending facilities using this guide.
CARES Act Relief for Independent Contractors
If you are an independent contractor or self-employed individual, you may be eligible for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans/grants, SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL), and/or Unemployment Compensation for lost income. This guide walks you through all the steps.
For Treasury Department guidance, visit the agency’s Direct Assistance for Small Businesses page.
Virginia Peninsula and Hampton Roads Chambers: Let’s pivot to the positive and start reopening businesses
By Bryan Stephens and Bob McKenna
Small businesses are the backbone of our nation, our commonwealth, and our region’s economy. Often described as the "engine that moves America,” small businesses make up over 85% of our chambers’ member companies. Unfortunately, right now, they are dealing with extreme and unprecedented challenges which are quickly becoming unsustainable.
It is clear we are facing not only a health crisis but also an economic crisis. While we are resilient and determined to overcome, we must have the courage of our elected leaders to make decisions that support and encourage the economic freedom that will enable recovery.....Click HERE to read the full article.
The Top of Virginia Regional Chamber 2020 Voice of Business
The Top of Virginia Regional Chamber 2020 Voice of Business is available at the Chamber today! Thanks to Cynthia Schneider and the chamber team for their help and direction putting this together!
Town Square Publications (www.townsquarepublications.com) can help you accomplish your chamber's gloss map, directory, community profile or publication needs at no expense to the chamber. Please email John Dussman at jdussman@tspubs.com or call (847)-427-4633.
Three new credits are available to many businesses hit by COVID-19; Via The Batavia Chamber: From the IRS:
WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today reminds employers affected by COVID-19 about three important new credits available to them.
Employee Retention Credit:
The employee retention credit is designed to encourage businesses to keep employees on their payroll. The refundable tax credit is 50% of up to $10,000 in wages paid by an eligible employer whose business has been financially impacted by COVID-19.
The credit is available to all employers regardless of size, including tax-exempt organizations. There are only two exceptions: State and local governments and their instrumentalities and small businesses who take small business loans.
Qualifying employers must fall into one of two categories:
- The employer's business is fully or partially suspended by government order due to COVID-19 during the calendar quarter.
- The employer's gross receipts are below 50% of the comparable quarter in 2019. Once the employer's gross receipts go above 80% of a comparable quarter in 2019, they no longer qualify after the end of that quarter.
Employers will calculate these measures each calendar quarter.
Paid Sick Leave Credit and Family Leave Credit:
The paid sick leave credit is designed to allow business to get a credit for an employee who is unable to work (including telework) because of Coronavirus quarantine or self-quarantine or has Coronavirus symptoms and is seeking a medical diagnosis. Those employees are entitled to paid sick leave for up to 10 days (up to 80 hours) at the employee's regular rate of pay up to $511 per day and $5,110 in total.
The employer can also receive the credit for employees who are unable to work due to caring for someone with Coronavirus or caring for a child because the child's school or place of care is closed, or the paid childcare provider is unavailable due to the Coronavirus. Those employees are entitled to paid sick leave for up to two weeks (up to 80 hours) at 2/3 the employee's regular rate of pay or, up to $200 per day and $2,000 in total.
Employees are also entitled to paid family and medical leave equal to 2/3 of the employee's regular pay, up to $200 per day and $10,000 in total. Up to 10 weeks of qualifying leave can be counted towards the family leave credit.
Employers can be immediately reimbursed for the credit by reducing their required deposits of payroll taxes that have been withheld from employees' wages by the amount of the credit.
Eligible employers are entitled to immediately receive a credit in the full amount of the required sick leave and family leave, plus related health plan expenses and the employer's share of Medicare tax on the leave, for the period of April 1, 2020, through Dec. 31, 2020. The refundable credit is applied against certain employment taxes on wages paid to all employees.
How will employers receive the credit?
Employers can be immediately reimbursed for the credit by reducing their required deposits of payroll taxes that have been withheld from employees' wages by the amount of the credit.
Eligible employers will report their total qualified wages and the related health insurance costs for each quarter on their quarterly employment tax returns or Form 941 beginning with the second quarter. If the employer's employment tax deposits are not sufficient to cover the credit, the employer may receive an advance payment from the IRS by submitting Form 7200, Advance Payment of Employer Credits Due to COVID-19.
Clinton Chamber: $310 Billion Additional Funds APPROVED for Small Businesses!
The House of Representatives passed and President Trump signed into law an additional $310 billion to the CARES Act Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)
FUNDS EXPECTED TO GO QUICKLY, SO APPLY TODAY!
For those needing help navigating CARES Act programs, the U.S. Chamber has produced a number of guides to help small businesses, independent contractors, and gig economy workers prepare to file for relief.
For more small business support, the U.S. Chamber are hosting a number of online events:
Kentucky Chamber: New Requirements For Business Reopening Start Today
Here is a link to all minimum requirements all employers must meet starting May 11. Please also note there are new requirements for health and temperature screenings, including employees may self-administer a temperature screening at home. All information can be found at healthyatwork.ky.gov. In addition to minimum requirements that all business must follow, sector-specific guidelines were released for: May 9, 2020: Places of Worship May 11, 2020: Construction Horse Racing (No Fans) Manufacturing & Distribution Office-Based Businesses (50%) Pet Grooming / Boarding Photography Vehicle or Vessel Dealerships May 18, 2020: Government Offices / Agencies May 20, 2020: Funeral Homes Retail We encourage ALL employers to make yourself aware of the new requirements to ensure we are able to get Kentucky’s economy back up and running while maintaining the safety of employees and customers. Highlights to the new minimum requirements include: 1. Continue telework where possible. 2. Phased return to work. 3. Enforce social distancing. 4. Limit face-to-face interaction. 5. Universal masks and any other necessary PPE. Universal Employee Masks: Businesses, organizations, and entities must ensure, to the greatest extent practicable, that their employees, volunteers, and contractors wear a cloth mask (a surgical or N95 mask is not required). A business, organization, or entity need not require an employee/volunteer/contractor to wear a mask when masking would create a serious health or safety hazard to the employee/volunteer/contractor, when the employee/volunteer/contractor is working alone in an enclosed space, or when the employee/volunteer/contractor is working alone in an area with more than six (6) feet of social distancing. Businesses and organizations shall provide PPE at no cost to employees and should offer instruction on proper use of masks and PPE. Access To Gloves: Entities must ensure that employees whose job duties include touching items often touched by others (e.g., credit cards/cash, paper, computers) wear gloves that are regularly replaced. Entities should also follow the applicable CDC, OSHA, or other federal guidelines relating to gloves. 6. Adequate Hand Sanitizer and Encouraging Hand Washing. 7. Restrict Common Areas. 8. Proper Sanitation. 9. Conduct Daily Temperature/Health Checks. Entities must require employees to undergo daily temperature and health checks; these checks may be either self-administered or administered by the entities prior to workplace entry. Self-administered temperature and health checks may be performed at home. 10. Create a Testing Plan. 11. Make Special Accommodations. Entities must, to the greatest extent practicable, make special accommodations for employees and customers at higher risk for severe illness. 13. Educate and Train Employees. Entities must educate and train all individuals, including employees, temporary employees, contractors, vendors, customers, etc., regarding the Healthy at Work protocols. This training must be offered during scheduled work times at no cost to the employee. 14. Contact Notification Responsibilities. Entities opened must be prepared to assist public health officials if an employee test positive or becomes exposed to COVID-19. PHASE 2 OF REOPENING INCLUDES RESTAURANTS, CHILD CARE, AND MORE The next phase of reopening Kentucky businesses will span from May 22 through June 15 and include things like restaurants at limited capacity, movie theaters and gyms, campgrounds, and childcare. On Thursday, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said Phase 2 of industry-specific reopening will start on May 22 with all businesses continuing to follow the 10 rules of healthy at work laid out by the administration and industry-specific guidelines for each. The new tentative dates for reopening are: May 22 – Restaurants, with limited 33% capacity and outdoor seating with proper social distancing June 1 – Movie theaters, fitness centers June 11 – Campgrounds, public and private June 15 – Child care, with reduced capacity; and potentially low-touch and outdoor youth sports The Governor added that Phase 3 is coming July 1 with bars, with limitations, and gatherings up to 50 people allowed. |
Hotel #BestPractices: Greetings from Chamber Member Royal Park Hotel in Rochester MI: Read How it will Change the Hotel Industry
We hope you are well and weathering this unprecedented change in business and everyday life. We wanted to share the news that Royal Park Hotel will be opening for limited business after May 18! If you are looking for a change of scenery, we are now offering micro meeting packages that provide an office with a view. Rest-assured, guest safety, sanitation, and security are of the utmost importance.
Please see the attached package information as well as our current newsletter which outlines the protocols we are implementing. Should you need additional information on meetings, it can be found on our website at https://www.royalparkhotel.net/meeting-rooms-in-rochester-mi.htm. When you’re ready to get out, we’re ready to take care of you!
Eligible employers can also request an advance of the Employee Retention Credit by submitting Form 7200.
The IRS has also posted Employee Retention Credit FAQs and Paid Family Leave and Sick Leave FAQs that will help answer questions.
Updates on the implementation of the Employee Retention Credit and other information can be found on the Coronavirus page of IRS.gov.
Town Square Publications Chamber Membership Directories and Community Profiles: The best Chamber Partner in the USA!
Town Square Publications, a division of the Daily Herald Media Group, is a national chamber custom publishing group that specializes in developing partnerships by producing high-quality print and digitally integrated publications along with other added value programs dedicated to creating relevancy for local chambers of commerce and other membership focused organizations interested in raising non-dues revenues.
Town Square Publications parent company, Paddock Publications, has over 100 years’ experience of print product development and dedicated customer service in communities throughout the Midwest. Our experience allows Town Square Publications to offer you attractive royalty and non-dues revenue share streams, provide direct distribution of your custom designed printed publications, including digital and mobile integration, and all with the quickest turn-around times available in the industry. Town Square also offers multi-media maps in both print and online formats, both with our No-Cost guarantee. More information: Town Square Publications
Chambers of Commerce and member focused organizations serve as a valuable resource in the local marketplace. The networking opportunities and representation with a wide variety of diverse businesses in your community is the catalyst of a successful organization. For further information about Town Square's publishing partnership with chambers of commerce and our No-Cost guarantee and Earned Revenue Share Program, To request your chamber publication or map proposal, contact Town Square Chamber Proposal
or email John Dussman with the subject line: Chamber Magazine RFP Requested. Thank you!
