SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORT

The economic injury assistance program that Governor Brown may request from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is called the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Program. It can provide low interest working capital loans to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, and most private nonprofit organizations. Loans cannot be made to governmental entities, including Tribes. Further information can be found: https://www.sba.gov/disaster-assistance/coronavirus-covid-19. 

SBA “ESTIMATED DISASTER ECONOMIC INJURY WORKSHEET FOR BUSINESSES.” Most of the form entries are clear, but business owners completing the form should be advised that: 

  • Despite the May 2010 form date on the bottom right corner of the Worksheet, it is the current version. 
  • Worksheets need to be fully completed, with all questions answered regarding business revenues, whether there was any business interruption insurance, as well as the comments section.  The comments section should indicate that the economic impacts are a direct result of COVID-19. 
  • The SBA has determined that the incident start date is January 31, 2020; the end date can (and will) vary from one business to the next and can be answered as “unknown” or “undetermined.” 
  • The worksheet is not an application for assistance. 
  • Completing a worksheet does not commit the business to later requesting the assistance, nor must a business complete a Worksheet in order to later request assistance. The Worksheets submitted merely give Governor Brown the evidence necessary to request an EIDL declaration from the U.S. SBA. 

ECONOMIC INJURY WORKSHEET 

SBA declarations are done by county, and once declared, the assistance is made available in contiguous counties, even across state lines. It is important we work with our Local Emergency Managers (LEM) to gather the forms, and this worksheet be submitted to the LEM by the end of this week. The managers can also answer eligibility and other clarifying questions. The LEM will forward the forms to the Oregon Emergency Management (OEM) agency. OEM is working with the Governor’s Office on the disaster declaration steps. In order to request assistance, Governor Brown will need a minimum of five Worksheets statewide that make a good case for economic injury, and at least one for each county that wants to be included in the declaration request. 

City of McMinnville and Yamhill County businesses will need to submit the form directly to our LEM, Brian Young, Director, Yamhill County Emergency Management, youngb@co.yamhill.or.us. The mailing address is 535 NE 5th St. McMinnville, OR  97128. 

For eligibility or clarifying questions, please contact Yamhill County Emergency Management at (503) 474-6300. 

Additional Financing, Exporting and Advising Resources to Support Business Impacted by COVID-19

The SBA launched www.sba.gov/coronavirus to provide information about resources small businesses can access now to navigate their business through the COVID-19 pandemic.

This includes financing through SBA Loan Guarantee Program – working capital, microloans, express loans and lines of credit – and counseling services through the SBA Resource Partner Network to help businesses navigate preparedness plans.

Are you an Employer? Have questions about employee benefits and resources?

STATE OF OREGON BUSINESS SUPPORT

The State of Oregon is offering guidance on a few employment laws that you may have questions concerning coronavirus. As always, it is critically important to understand and adhere to state laws that protect both workers and businesses. 

The State of Oregon has many resources available for businesses and employers. Employers can call the Technical Assistance hotline at 971-673-0824 or email bolita@boli.state.or.us.  

Sick Time 

  • All employees get sick time. If you have 10+ employees (or 6+ in Portland), that time must be paid. 
  • Accrual rate is 1 hour of sick time for every 30 hours worked. 
  • Employees can use sick time to care for themselves, family members, for visits to medical professionals. Sick time can also be used if your child’s school is closed by order of a public official for a public health emergency, such as Governor Brown’s current closure of all K-12 schools. 
  • Here is a poster about sick time you can share with employees. 
  • You can find more information on sick time & coronavirus, including a fact sheet, here. 

Oregon Family Leave (OFLA) 

  • OFLA applies to employers with 25+ employees 
  • Oregonians can use Oregon Family Leave to take protected time off to care for their children during official school closures related to coronavirus. This leave is not paid unless employees use available paid time off they have, but it is protected. 

Predictive Scheduling  

  • Oregon’s predictive scheduling law applies only to employers with 500+ employees and requires certain advance notice of scheduling changes. 
  • This pandemic may result in decreases to business’ staffing needs (or unpredictable staffing needs and worker availability). 
  • This law provides for employer relief for extenuating circumstances such as natural disasters or declarations of public officials. This includes current emergency declarations by Governor Brown. 
  • Proactive communication is at the heart of this law. Employers should be proactive in communicating with employees about their operations and schedules. This virus situation changes every day, and it is a good practice for employers to communicate every day. 
  • Now is the time for employers to engage in the proactive activities suggested in the law to prepare for the lack of certainty in demand and scheduling to best support employees and business operations (i.e. establishing group communications, list of workers who are available to work on demand, voluntary stand-by list, frequent scheduling updates, etc.). 
  • You can learn more about predictive scheduling here. 

Preventing Discrimination 

  • We continue to hear anecdotal reports of people experiencing discrimination because of fears of coronavirus, particularly around race or national origin. 
  • Discrimination based on race, national origin, age, sex, religion, sexual orientation, disability, and other characteristics is illegal and wrong. 
  • In scary times, sometimes people act with poor judgment or without facts out of fear– that’s not okay if it results in disparate treatment based on protected characteristics. 
  • As an employer, you can help stop and prevent discrimination. 

Work Share Oregon 

Employers are encouraged to check into Work Share Oregon, which can support businesses and workers to avoid mass layoffs and lost wages and benefits in times like these. Work Share can be reached at 800-436-6191 or email: oed_workshare@oregon.gov. 

Small Business Advocacy 

Businesses without employees or with fewer than 100 employees can contact the Office of Small Business Assistance via email at business.sos@oregon.gov or by calling toll free 1-844-469-5512 

YAMHILL COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH  – BUSINESS INFORMATION

  • Implementation of Mitigation Strategies for Communities with Local COVID-19 Transmission  MITIGATION STRATEGIES 
  • List of EPA’s Registered Antimicrobial Products for Use Against Novel Coronavirus  CLEANERS 
  • Environmental Cleaning and Disinfection Recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention  (CDC) https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/organizations/cleaning-disinfection.html 

Interim Guidance for Businesses and Employers regarding COVID-19 Preparedness: 

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/guidance-business-response.html 

USDA’s Office of Food Safety and Marketing and Regulatory Programs Statement to Industry

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is rising to meet the challenges associated with the new coronavirus disease, Covid-19. As leaders of USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and Agricultural Marketing Service, we can assure you that the agencies are committed to ensuring the health and safety of our employees while still providing the timely delivery of services to maintain the movement of America’s food supply from farm to fork.

Read the bulletin at: https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDAAPHIS/bulletins/28183de

Interim Guidance: Get Your Mass Gatherings or Large Community Events Ready for
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

Declarations provides City staff greater flexibility to modify work schedules for emergency responder and provides the City Manager with the latitude to coordinate an effective response by redirecting funding for emergency use as needed. 

The City of McMinnville has closely been monitoring the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) potential spread and is in frequent contact with both local and State public health authorities and making adjustments to our practices as direction changes from those authorities. The City will continue to share and update the information as the situation evolves.

Following Governor Brown’s direction and Oregon Health Authority guidance the City will be taking the following actions for the next 30 days:

  • Senior Center (and all programs) run out of that facility are CLOSED starting today (03/12/2020) until April 13 at the earliest.
  • Community Center and Aquatic Center (and all programs/rentals) run out of those facilities are CLOSED starting Monday, March 16 until Saturday March 28th at the earliest.
  • Any Parks and Rec youth and adult sports programs at schools are CANCELED until April 13 at the earliest.
  • Youth soccer games and practices are CANCELED from March 12-March 29. We will reevaluate at that time.
  • Kids on the Block (KOB) is  NOT in session starting March 16 – March 31, 2020.
  • Senior Fitness at the Community Center – CANCELED
  • Willamette Valley Birds at the Community Center – CANCELED
  • The Library CLOSED until at least March 31,2020. For more information regarding the Library closure and updated information please click here.
  • McMinnville City Hall CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC until at least March 31, 2020. City Hall will remain staffed with employees but will be closed to the public. If you need to reach City Hall please call our main line phone number at 503-434-7402.
  • McMinnville Municipal Court has issued an Temporary General Order CANCELING municipal court for the next two months. For more details of this order see the General Order under supporting documents.
  • McMinnville Water Reclamation Facility building doors are CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC. If you need to reach someone from Wastewater please call the main line phone number at 503-434-7313.
  • McMinnville Public Works Facility building doors are CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC. If you need to reach someone from Public Works please call the main line phone number at 503-434-7316.
  • McMinnville Community Development Department building doors are CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC until April 10, 2020. If you need to reach someone from the Building Department please call the main line phone number at 503-434-7314. If you need to reach someone from the Planning Department please call the main line phone number at 503-434-7311. If you need to reach someone from Engineering Department please call the main line phone number at 503-434-7312. If you need to reach someone from Code Compliance Department please call the main line phone number at 503-434-7305.
  • All other City operations not listed are continuing as normal.
  • Meals and Wheels program is located at the Co-Op ministries off of 2nd street.  Their typical hours are Monday – Thursday from 6:30am to 12:30pm

**The Parks and Recreation home page will provide the latest updates regarding events and facilities, please click here. If you have questions regarding Refunds/Credits for Parks and Recreation programs around COVID-19 please see the refund section found here.

PUBLIC HEALTH RESOURCES

Additional Resources
Below are a number of resources to help educate you and your family on COVID-19.

Oregon Health Authority
Oregon.gov/OHA

Our Health Oregon
OurHealthOregon.org

Yamhill County Public Health
hhs.co.yamhill.or.us/publichealth

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
CDC.gov

World Health Organization
WHO.int

For general information on novel coronavirus in Oregon, call 211.
Additional resources also are available at:  WillametteValleyMedical.com