JEDE COVID-19 Update for March 25, 2020

Major Announcements

• USDA Rural Development:  USDA extended the application deadline for the Rural Business Development Grant program to April 15, 2020. Contact the Rural Development office for the deadline in your state. USDA announced the extension in an Unnumbered Letter posted March 19, 2020.

• Federal Disaster Relief Legislation:  Senate is posed to vote on a $2 trillion COVID-19 disaster relief bill.  As currently reported, there are no grant moneys for small businesses in the current federal bill.   Small Business provisions, as currently reported, include:

  • $367 billion in aid for small businesses—apparently mostly, if not all, in the form of loans.

  • $600 per week in self-employment unemployment insurance—for the first time, the self-employed and gig workers will qualify and $600 additional self-employment insurance for those who already qualify.

  • $1200 per adult and $500 per child for every American, with phase out of this grant for those earning more than $75,000 individually/$150,000 filing jointly.

  • Paid Sick Leave and Family Leave: Small businesses will be required to provide, and will be reimbursed by the government, 2 weeks paid sick leave (at full salary—up to $511 per day) and up to 12 weeks paid family leave (at two-thirds salary—up to $200 per day) for both full time and part-time workers.

  • This is only a preliminary summary.  JEDE will continue to track as the legislation moves.

• COVID-19 in the Workplace:  The Wage and Hour Division of the US Department of Labor have released information on common issues employers and employees face when responding to COVID-19, and its effects on wages and hours worked under the Fair Labor Standards Act and job-protected leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act.

  • Families First Coronavirus Response Act: Questions and Answers

  • Families First Coronavirus Response Act: Employee Paid Leave Rights

  • Families First Coronavirus Response Act: Employer Paid Leave Requirements

  • COVID-19 and the Fair Labor Standards Act: Questions and Answers

  • COVID-19 and the Family and Medical Leave Act: Questions and Answers

  • WHD Response to COVID-19

  • DOL Dialogue on Compliance Materials Needed for FFCRA: https://ffcra.ideascale.com/a/ideas/recent/campaigns/53788

  • For further information about Coronavirus, please visit the HHS’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

• Federal Paid Family Leave:  The US Department of Labor released guidance, including FAQs on the new federal paid COVID-19 leave, including the refundable tax credits for small and medium-sized businesses. 

  • More information is available at:  https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/pandemic/ffcra-employer-paid-leave

• Business Loans:  The California Community and Economic Development Association circulated a list of state and local loan programs.  https://mailchi.mp/2cefc580bbe3/covid-19-resources-for-nonprofits?e=d08f276257

• New Mandatory Workplace Poster:  The federal government has released a Coronavirus poster which all employers are required to post. 

  • Q&A on Where to Post:  https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/pandemic/ffcra-poster-questions 

  • Link to the Poster: https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/WHD/posters/FFCRA_Poster_WH1422_Non-Federal.pdf