The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has many useful tips and suggestions on how to avoid contracting the coronavirus. These measures include:
Avoiding close contact with people who are sick
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth
Stay home when you are sick
Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash
Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe
The CDC says the virus is spread mainly from person-to-person including between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet), through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes in which the droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs.
With the recent passage of the Federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act many businesses have questions about what assistance programs they may qualify to receive, how they can apply and how much capital they may be able to access.
FIRST, if you think you are going to need assistance from the SBA, start preparing right away. Prepare your previous 12 months of payroll (wages, tips, health care benefits, and insurance). This will be one of the basis to determine SBA assistance.
NEXT, apply for the SBA Economic Injury Disaster Advance Loan of up to $10,000. This advance will provide economic relief to businesses that are currently experiencing a temporary loss of revenue. Funds will be made available within three days of a successful application. This is a forgivable loan and your advance will not have to be repaid.
IF NEEDED after the advance loan, apply for the SBA Coronavirus Economic Injury Disaster Loan. These low-interest federal disaster loans for working capital to (a) small businesses or (b) private nonprofit organizations that are suffering substantial economic injury as a result of the Coronavirus.
The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) has provided some clear and concise guidance on this process, click here to link to SBDC website for further information.
Your local Small Business Development Center at SUNY Geneseo is available for application assistance.
Recent Webinars
State
DOH guidance on Employees Face Coverings when Interacting with the Public
Here is a link to the latest Information from Empire State Development in the form of an FAQ fact sheet regarding "Essential" business!
UPDATE: Guidance for “essential” businesses has been updated on the ESD website and includes additional exempt industries:
https://esd.ny.gov/guidance-
REMINDER: If your business is part of an exempt industry/function on the essential list then you do NOT have to submit an application.
REMINDER: Even if your business is deemed essential, please take all practical steps to reduce density by allowing remote working and implementing social distancing.
REMINDER: To help keep up with the quickly changing response to the COVID-19 pandemic, below are some important resources related to the economic impacts for businesses and workers…
Below is the main NYS page for all COVID-19 information:
https://coronavirus.health.ny.
From Livingston County Government Officials
Livingston County Health Department COVID-19
The Livingston County Health Department has a special page dedicated specifically to COVID-19 with up-to-date information and resources.
Additional up-to-date information and resources dedicated specifically to COVID-19.
ADVISORY: NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR IMPLEMENTS A FILING SYSTEM AND EXTENDS HOURS TO ADDRESS THE INFLUX OF UNEMPLOYMENT CLAIMS AND MAKE PROCESS MORE EFFICIENT FOR CLAIMANTS ~ update as of 12:15pm on 3/18/2020 from NYS DOL
Providing Unemployment Insurance benefits is DOL’s number one priority and everyone who is entitled to UI benefits will receive them in a timely manner. To that end we are implementing a new more efficient filing system based on the first letter of the applicants last name (alphabetical order). Here is the step-by-step process for filing;
A - F : Monday
G – N : Tuesday
O – Z : Wednesday
Missed your day : Thursday and Friday
Filing later in the week will not delay payments or affect the date of an individual’s claim, since all claims are effective on the Monday of the week in which they are filed.
We are also extending filing hours as follows:
Monday through Thursday 8 am to 7:30 pm.
Friday 8:00 am to 6:00 pm.
Saturday 7:30 am to 8:00 pm.
Here is a step by step process to file a claim.
Our Office
At this time, our staff is conducting business remotely and we are hard at work figuring out how to best serve our businesses and our community during this time. When you call the office you’ll get an auto-attendant which will connect you with the team member remotely (585) 243-2222.