NYSRA Update: COVID-19 Outbreak | April 16, 2020

Good News
  • Tasteful Connections, a Rochester-based caterer, is staying busy supplying lunch to 45 staff and their families each noontime. They are also taking orders from community members to donate meals to medical professionals and other essential front-line workers. They have visited 3 local hospitals to deliver meals and are still chugging along! As Sandra Holloway (the owner) put it, "Great food truly does bring comfort and solace during times of uncertainty." Learn more HERE.

Federal
  • Yesterday, the Department of Treasury and the Small Business Administration called on Congress and the President to approve additional funding for the Paycheck Protection Plan (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL). Statement by Secretary Mnuchin and Administrator Carranza on the Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program
  • The Small Business Administration is also sending along warnings of potential scams to be on the lookout for: https://www.sba.gov/document/report--sba-programs-scams-fraud-alerts
  • As we continue to get many questions regarding the various aid programs, we are re-sending the National Restaurant Association’s latest guidance documents:
  • The U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division is responsible for implementing and enforcing new leave mandates enacted as part of the Phase II COVID-19 response bill. Click here for an overview of the paid and sick leave regulations in the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA).
  • The CARES Act created a $349 billion fund to help businesses retain employees during the virus emergency and includes a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) of federally guaranteed loans to eligible companies. Click here to view the PPP background document.
  • The Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) targeting small businesses with both a low interest loan and the possibility of a short-term cash advance that is forgivable under certain rules. Click here to view the EIDL background document.
  • The law also established a new Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC) of up to 50 percent of as much as $10,000 in employee wages paid by businesses that are closed, partially closed, or experiencing a major reduction in revenue due to the crisis. Click here to view the ERTC background document.

State

Westchester
  • The Westchester County Department of Health has added an online tool to help residents determine whether they should be in quarantine, isolation or exercise caution, depending on their potential exposure to COVID-19. The tool, known as the COVID Determination Tree, will ask a series of questions to help people define if they are subject to an Order of Isolation, an Order of Quarantine, or if it’s recommended that they Self-Quarantine. Access the COVID Determination Tree HERE.
  • The Westchester County Board of Legislators will hold a special meeting on Friday, April 17 at 5 p.m. to consider a property taxpayer relief plan that would authorize towns to slash late-payment penalties through July 15 on County and Town taxes. Participants who wish to speak can register by 3 p.m. on Friday. To register, members of the public may call the Clerk of Board at 914-995-4604 or send an email to BOLpublichearingcomments@westchestergov.com. Hearing participants then will phone into the hearing by dialing 914-995-2800 at 5 p.m.

  Communications
  • Zoom Meetings/Calls
  • We will host a NYC Operator’s Roundtable discussion on Friday at 1 pm. Click here to register.
  • The WNY Chapter call will be held on Monday at 2 pm. Click here to register.
  •  Webinars
  • The National Restaurant Association and Heartland Payment Systems will host a webinar on Tuesday, April 21 at 2:00 pm to discuss how a cloud-based POS can provide for businesses having to quickly shift their operations to support online ordering, takeout, curbside, drive-through and delivery. Register here.