COVID-19 Business Resources

COVID-19 Resources

U.S. Department of the Treasury- Payroll Protection Program

https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/top-priorities/cares-act/assistance-for-small-businesses

Small Business Administration Funding

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 COVID-19.
 
Click here for SBA Disaster Assistance in Response to the COVID-19.

Additional SBA Resources:
-Small Business Guide and Checklist (US Chamber) PDF
-SBA Express Bridge Loans PDF
-NDOL Letter March 19th PDF
-Express Bridge Loan Pilot Program Guide 3.25.20 PDF
-Unilateral Action Matrix for 7(a) Loan Servicing-Liquidation V-15 PDF

Grand Island Business Update: March 26, 2020

List of closures and modified business hours. 

• Grand Island Chamber of Commerce
• Grand Island Independent:  Area Restaurant Round Up

Unemployment Insurance Benefits for Employers and Individuals

If individuals do not have access to sick leave or vacation during a time of quarantine, they may file for unemployment insurance benefits here.

Eligibility is on a case by case basis and individuals may or may not be eligible.  Historically, individuals had to be able and available to draw unemployment.  If extreme measures are needed during a temporary shut-down of a facility, employers should call 402-458-2500 and identify themselves as an employer.
 
People have the choice to file now or wait until Sunday, March 22nd, 2020.  If they wait until Sunday there will be less limitations on the availability to be paid.  It is up to the individuals if they file this week or wait until Sunday.
If they file this week, they will serve a waiting week and be subject to all current unemployment security law, rules and regulations.  If they file March 22, 2020 and after, they are subject to the 3 waivers from the Governor’s executive order (Work Search, Waiting Week, Able and Available).

Short Term Compensation

In addition, when individuals are working a limited schedule, the following may be of assistance:

The Department of Labor has a program where an employer can apply for Short Term Compensation (STC) for their employees to work when needed, but also gives the employees partial unemployment. During the STC, the employer agrees to continue providing benefits to the employees. This website can be found here.

Bartender Emergency Assistance Program

Assistance for bartenders is available through the USBG National Charity Foundation. To apply, click here.
Additional resources from the Nebraska Craft Brewers Guild here.

Facebook Small Business Grants Program

Offering $100M in cash grants and ad credits to help during COVID-19. To learn more, click here.

Spectrum offers assistance to students, communities

Spectrum offers free access to Spectrum broadband and WiFi for new K-12 and college student households that their network currently passes for the next 60 days. They'll open our WiFi hotspots across our footprint for public use. They'll continue to offer Spectrum Internet Assist, our high-speed broadband program to eligible low-income households.  To enroll call 1-844-488-8395.

Walmart to hire temp workers

If anyone has been laid off from their job and needs something temporarily, Walmart South is hiring. If interested, ask for personnel at 308-381-4970.

Resources for Hall County

• Central District Health Department for Hall, Hamilton, and Merrick Counties: https://cdhd.ne.gov

• Grand Island Public Schools COVID-19 Updates: https://www.gips.org/covid19

• Nebraska Medicine Daily COVID-19 Updates: https://nebraskamed.com/covid19-update

• Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services: http://dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/Coronavirus.aspx

• NBDC Business Resilency Resources:  https://www.unomaha.edu/nebraska-business-development-center/services/business-resiliency-resources.php

• Additional Helpful Links Provided by the University of Nebraska Medical Center: https://www.unmc.edu/coronavirus/links.html

• Additional Links provided by the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce & Industry:  https://www.nechamber.com/coronavirus-update.html 

Additional Resources

• COVID-19 Strategies and Policies of the World's Largest Companies

• COVID-19 Has My Teams Working Remotely: A Guide for Leaders

• Staying Connected With Customers Through the Coronavirus Outbreak

• 5 Ways to Manage Small Business Coronavirus Concerns When Employees Can't Work From Home

• 5 Resources to Help Your Small Business Survive the Coronavirus

• Coronavirus: 8 Things Your Small Business Needs to Do

• How to Manage the Loneliness and Isolation of Remote Workers

• 7 Things to Do When Creating an Emergency Work-From-Home Policy for COVID-19