Updates

OSHA’s Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS)

Please note that the stay placed on OSHA's Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) was lifted on December 17, 2021. While there may be additional delays, we encourage all employers with 100 or more employees, to proceed with compliance of the ETS, noting the new January 10, 2022 deadline for these employers to release compliant policies. Please visit their updated website for more information. For more guidance on compliance, please review our slides and recorded update on our website.

By Melissa Scholz|2021-12-21T18:38:42+00:00December 21st, 2021|COVID-19, Employment|Comments Off

SCORE Offers Seminars & Mentoring for Nonprofits

Beginning in September SCORE will offer a series of 10 seminars focused on developing and sustaining nonprofits. The first five sessions address important internal structures and operations. Then in October and November the emphasis will shift to outreach and fundraising. Participants will have a choice of in-person or online Zoom attendance. Cost is $20 per person per session. In person attendance is open to fully-vaccinated participants who will also be asked to wear a mask and to social distance during the workshop. Topics include: September 8, 2021 – Starting & Developing a Successful Nonprofit September 16, 2021 – Board [...]

By Melissa Scholz|2021-08-17T18:52:54+00:00August 17th, 2021|COVID-19, Nonprofit|Comments Off

SBA to Open its Own PPP Loan Forgiveness Portal

On Wednesday, July 28, 2021, SBA announced a new initiative to encourage borrowers with PPP loans of less than $150,000 to apply for loan forgiveness sooner rather than later. SBA notified banks (which were responsible for issuing PPP loans) that SBA is setting up its own online portal so that borrowers can apply for loan forgiveness directly with SBA. The SBA portal will likely be more streamlined and require less documentation than the banks’ loan forgiveness process. If you have questions, please contact Jeff Femrite at [email protected].

By Melissa Scholz|2021-07-29T19:08:22+00:00July 29th, 2021|COVID-19|Comments Off

EMPLOYERS UPDATE: Bonuses and Other Incentives for Vaccinated Employees

Employers can mandate employees get the COVID-19 vaccine subject to reasonable accommodations for employees with disabilities, medical conditions, or a sincerely held religious belief. But many employers instead want to offer bonuses and other incentives to vaccinated employees. The EEOC has confirmed that employers may offer vaccination incentives to employees as long as the incentives are “not so substantial as to be coercive.” Employers may offer these incentives to employees to provide documentation or other confirmation of vaccination from a third party, such as a pharmacy or health department. Request only proof of vaccination; be clear you do not [...]

By Melissa Scholz|2021-06-02T20:30:53+00:00June 2nd, 2021|Uncategorized|Comments Off

What You Need to Know About Restaurant Revitalization Fund Grants

Registrations begin on Friday, April 30, 2021, at 8 a.m. CDT and the application portal is scheduled to open on Monday, May 3, 2021, at 11am CDT. For the first 21 days, the Small Business Administration (SBA) will prioritize funding applications from businesses owned and controlled by women, veterans, and socially and economically disadvantaged individuals. Apply ASAP! Here’s the link to register with the SBA. If you prefer to listen, check out this webinar for a step by step guide. Follow along as Jeff completes the application (available here.). Below is an overview but many questions are answered here [...]

By Melissa Scholz|2021-04-29T22:53:57+00:00April 29th, 2021|Uncategorized|Comments Off

Tax credits for providing paid leave to employees who take time off related to COVID-19 vaccinations

FOR EMPLOYEES Getting the vaccine does NOT mean you have to take hours off work to travel to, wait for, receive and recover from the COVID-19 vaccine. Ask your employer about paid time off for receiving and recovering from the COVID-19 vaccine. Even if you already receive paid time off through employment, Employers with less than 500 employees can provide paid sick leave to their employees at NO COST to the organization. The paid leave for employees is up to $511 per day (based on employee's standard wage) for up to 10 days from now through September 30, 2021. To [...]

By Melissa Scholz|2021-04-23T19:46:52+00:00April 23rd, 2021|COVID-19, Employment|Comments Off

SBA Announcements: PPP Funding & SVOG Program

Current PPP Funding May Not Make It To May 31, 2021 SBA has indicated funding for the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) will likely dry up in late April … more than a month before the program’s scheduled expiration on May 31, 2021. Borrowers interested in securing a First Draw PPP Loan or a Second Draw PPP Loan should move quickly, before funds are exhausted. Contact your bank or credit union now or let us know if you need guidance. What you need to get started: If a sole business owner, you will need your filed Form 1040, Sch C [...]

By Melissa Scholz|2021-04-07T00:26:35+00:00April 7th, 2021|Uncategorized|Comments Off

SBA Announcement: Shuttered Venue Operators Grant program starts April 8

The Shuttered Venue Operators Grant program (SVOG) is expected to provide over $16 billion in economic relief to target industries. The portal for SVOG application will open on Thursday, April 8, 2021. While the SVOG program has not yet opened for applications, SBA has prepared a Checklist to help grant applicants gather required information. Make sure to prepare grant applications carefully.

By Melissa Scholz|2021-03-22T22:29:03+00:00March 22nd, 2021|Uncategorized|Comments Off

Updates on New Federal COVID-relief Programs

Summary of Updates from American Rescue Plan Act The American Rescue Plan Act (ARP Act), signed on March 11, 2021, provides $1.9 trillion in various forms of support to address the pandemic crisis. We will send updates on various aspects of the Act in the coming weeks. While we don’t have many details yet, we do know the ARP Act provides some additional assistance to small businesses and nonprofits. Here are a few items of interest: $7.25 billion in additional PPP funding. The deadline to apply for PPP is still March 31, 2021. We’re watching to see if it gets [...]

By Melissa Scholz|2021-03-16T00:37:29+00:00March 16th, 2021|COVID-19|Comments Off

Learn How to Get Funds for Your Small Business from the Government—before it expires on March 31st!

How do you get some $$ for your small business from the government? Federal government is offering “Paycheck Protection Program” (PPP) loans to small businesses and self-employed persons. PPP starts out as a loan but turns into a grant if you spend it on wages and other allowable business expenses Anyone with employees or self-employed can apply Can use ITIN to apply but must legally reside in the US Loan amount depends on size of payroll or gross revenue if self-employed How do you get a PPP? Contact your bank or credit union to apply. If they’re not offering [...]

By Melissa Scholz|2021-03-12T23:46:41+00:00March 12th, 2021|COVID-19|Comments Off