Please see an update on items that may impact you and your business. Updates include: paid leave for covid diagnosed employees; voting information for displaced Oregonians; masks for ag workers; emergency business grant for business; childcare survey; wildfire state response; covid vs smoke inhalation
- Salem, OR—A new program starts this week to help people who work in Oregon and need to quarantine or isolate due to COVID-19 exposure, but do not have access to COVID-19-related paid sick leave, the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services (DCBS) announced today. The COVID-19 Temporary Paid Leave Program was created with $30 million received from the federal government to help Oregon respond to the coronavirus pandemic. People who qualify will receive a $120 per-day payment for up to 10 working days ($1,200 total) for the time they are required quarantine. Employees can apply online starting Wednesday, Sept. 16, at oregon.gov/covidpaidleave. The application form is available in English, Spanish, and Russian. Those who do not have access to electronic applications can call 833-685-0850 (toll-free) or 503-947-0130. Those who need help in a language other than these three can call 503-947-0131 for help. DCBS and the Department of Revenue are collaborating on the new program to ensure employees meet the necessary eligibility requirements.
To be eligible for the program, one must meet all of the following requirements:
• Work in Oregon and required to file an Oregon personal income tax return. • Directed to quarantine by a local or tribal public health authority or health care provider because of exposure to someone infected, or isolating because you have COVID-19-related symptoms and are seeking a medical diagnosis. • Not able to work (including telework) because you need to quarantine or isolate. • Do not expect to earn more than $60,000 individually or $120,000 jointly in 2020. • Your employer does not provide COVID-19-related paid sick leave or you have exhausted your available COVID-19-related paid sick leave. • Are not applying for or receiving unemployment insurance benefits for the time off due to quarantine or isolation. • Are not applying for or receiving workers’ compensation claim benefits due to quarantine or isolation. • Are not seeking or using benefits from similar COVID-19 quarantine relief programs in Oregon or another state. • Are not applying for or receiving other forms of paid leave from your employer during your quarantine or isolation, such as banked sick leave or vacation leave. • Are not laid off or furloughed by your employer. • Must have notified your employer that you need to quarantine or isolate.
Because the available funds are limited, the program is available only to quarantine periods that were in place on or after Sept. 16. Applicants can claim only one quarantine period. For more information or to apply, go to oregon.gov/covidpaidleave or call 833-685-0850 (toll-free) or 503-947-0130 between 7:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The website also contains an eligibility quiz to help people who are not sure if they qualify. Fliers are attached in English and Spanish.
- SALEM, OR — Secretary of State Bev Clarno issued the following statement in response to the wildfires and to ensure all displaced Oregonians are able to receive their ballot and vote this November.“The families and communities affected by the devastating wildfires across Oregon are in my thoughts and prayers. Our team at Secretary of State stands ready to help both in the immediate response and long-term recovery efforts to come. For any Oregonians displaced from their home and concerned about voting in the General Election this November, rest assured we have a plan and are working closely with local election officials to ensure you can receive your ballot, vote, and make your voices heard.” For frequently asked questions, visit oregonvotes.gov/fires.
- Employers of ag workers needing masks. Per the Oregon Health Authority, KN95 masks are being sent to community based organizations and OSU extension offices. Per OHA: They are adequate protection for the particulate level we have in the Oregon according to OSHA and FDA.” You can contact the Yamhill County Extension Office’s Kelli Watcherson at k.watcherson@oregonstate.edu or Unidos’ Miriam Vargas-Corona at Miriam@unidosyamhillcounty.org to obtain masks for your workers.
- Due to weather conditions, the City of McMinnville is extending the application deadline for the Emergency Business Assistance grant from this Friday, September 18, to Friday, September 25, 2020. Applications can be accessed online at www.MACbusinessassistance.com, or at the Library and Community Development Center, and can be submitted online at MACbusinessassistance@mcminnvilleoregon.gov or in person at the Community Development Center, 231 NE Fifth Street.
- For more information on the wildfires and the state response, please go to this website: https://wildfire.oregon.gov/
- NEW GRANT! The latest regional recovery grant for small businesses has just opened through Willamette Workforce Partnership. This program is funded at $670,000 and is available for Yamhill, Polk and Marion County companies only. This funding looks very different from other rounds. One major difference is that previous support through Cares Act funds (EIDL & PPP) and previous grant awards do not negate your eligibility. I hope you will take the time to work through this VERY SHORT application to see if you are eligible. It is worth your time! The program info and link to the application can be found here: https://willwp.org/
- CHILDCARE SURVEY– WE NEED YOUR HELP! the County is seeking funding from the State and Federal governments to support programming that will increase the availability to localized, safe, legal childcare (of all ages) in Yamhill County, In order to validate the ask, they have developed a needs survey in partnership with the Early Learning Hub. They are asking businesses and community members to please complete this survey to aide them in accessing those funds. It is a 5 minute survey and is very valuable to this process. Please help. The survey can be found here: https://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/5823226/Yamhill-CCO-Early-Learning-Hub-Business-Survey.
- There are two instructional posters attached (in English and Spanish) on how to properly wear a N95 mask and how to high speed wash hands. (see below)
- There is a fund for folks in the Santiam Canyon set up through the Santiam Service Integration Team, to meet the immediate and long term needs of folks in the Santiam Canyon. You can find it on their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/SCWRfund/.
- Senator Merkley has set up a wildfire resources page: Merkley.senate.gov/wildfires.
- Oregon Community Foundation has set up a fund to assist those impacted by the fires. You can read more about it here and make a donation: https://oregoncf.org/ or https://oregoncf.org/oregon-wildfire-relief-recovery/.
- You can also make donations to the American Red Cross: https://www.redcross.org/.
- Governor Kate Brown declares abnormal market disruption due to wildfire state of emergency: Governor Kate Brown issued Executive Order 20-42, declaring an abnormal market disruption as a result of the statewide wildfire emergency. Read the news release.
- Travel Oregon has created a new wildfire information hub for a variety of current wildfire and smoke related information. The site focuses on preparedness, travel and evacuation resources.
- Attached is a flyer from OHA (currently only available in English) that helps explain the differences in symptoms one might experience from COVID and smoke inhalation. This page also has other helpful information about resources and support for anyone affected by the wildfires.
High Speed Hand-Washing Bilingual_Color
Special thanks to our County Commissioners and the Yamhill Emergency Management Team for all of their hard work to help our neighboring counties and evacuees. Thank you to the firefighters, the National Guard (and their families) and our local FD and PD. Thank you to the businesses that offered to host evacuees and the restaurants that have donated meals and food. Thank you to our entire community who have come together to support and help each other. We live in a wonderful place, full of amazing, giving people. We are getting through this together.
Best,
Gioia
