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HomeMy WebLinkAbout04/01/20 - Updates COVID-19 St. Lucie County Business AssistanceStephanie Bush From:Jennifer DuBey <jdubey@youredc.com> Sent:Wednesday, April 1, 2020 7:44 AM To:Jennifer DuBey Subject:New Updates COVID-19 St. Lucie County Business Assistance SECURITY WARNING: This email originated from outside the County systems. Please show caution when clicking links or opening attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. Questions, call Customer Service at 772-462-2146. Good Morning EDC Partners St. Lucie County ordered a “Safer-At-Home Order” for all residents within St. Lucie County including the cities of Fort Pierce and Port St. Lucie effective Saturday, April 4 at 6 a.m. This order details essential businesses and the 6 feet physical distancing requirements. Please click here to view the St. Lucie County order: https://youredc.com/images/uploads/Safer-At- Home_Order.pdf. If you have any questions regarding this order, please contact us. If you were unable to join us Monday on the Families First Coronavirus Response Act “What Businesses Need To Know” special webinar with subject matter experts Daryl Krauza, Shareholder at DEAN MEAD Attorneys at Law and Chris Fogal, Partner at Carr Riggs & Ingram CPAs and Advisors, or are interested in hearing the session recording, please click the link to access: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SlJGrjir5Tk&feature=youtu.be The Small Business Administration and U.S. Treasury released detailed information on the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) from the CARES Act, including a borrower fact sheet and sample application form. The loan program details include:  Eligibility: a) <500 employees (including sole proprietorships, independent contractors and self- employed persons, private non-profit organizations or 501c19 veterans organizations b) >500 employees pursuant to SBA employee size standards  Application Process: Through an existing SBA 7a lender a) Please visit your financial institution to see if they are an SBA 7a participating lender in the program or b) the SBA will be providing a lenders list later this week  Anticipated application start date: a) April 3 - small businesses and sole proprietorships b) April 10 - independent contractors and self-employed individuals 1  Loan Forgiveness: Funds used for payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent, and/or utilities in the eight weeks following loan origination  Loan Amount: up to two months of your average monthly payroll costs x 25% (calculated from SBA defined time frame)  Interest Rate: capped at 4%  Program Borrower Fact Sheet: https://youredc.com/images/uploads/PPP_Borrower_Information_Fact_Sheet_- _US_Treasury.pdf  Program Application Form (Sample): https://youredc.com/images/uploads/Paycheck- Protection-Program-Application-3-30-2020-v3_-_US_Treasury.pdf As your business endures these ever changing times, the Florida Department of Opportunity has prepared a Reemployment Assistance COVID-19 FAQ with information for employers and employees on unemployment compensation. If your business is currently experiencing a slowdown, please consider learning about the Short Time Compensation program to help retain your workforce with prorated unemployment benefits for reduced hours as an alternative to layoffs. Please click here to view the reemployment and short time compensation FAQ: http://www.floridajobs.org/docs/default-source/reemployment- assistance-center/ra-covid-19-faqs-eng.pdf?sfvrsn=805543b0_12 If you or your employees are in need of unemployment assistance, the State of Florida is continually making site improvements to the reemployment system, CONNECT, to serve this unprecedented demand for unemployment. In an effort to provide expedited response for claimants, Governor DeSantis has suspended the requirement for registration through the nd Employ Florida job portal and weekly job contact reporting through May 2. Please click here to view an Applicants Guide for reemployment assistance: http://www.floridajobs.org/Reemployment-Assistance-Service- Center/reemployment-assistance/claimants/apply-for-benefits If you have any questions or need any assistance for your business or employees, please do not hesitate to contact us. Please continue to view and share our COVID-19 Business Assistance Web Portal at https://youredc.com/grow_your_business/wr for updated information on programs and services to assist your business and employees. 2 Jennifer DuBey, Business Manager Economic Development Council of St. Lucie County 500 NW California Blvd. ■ Bldg. F109 ■ Port St. Lucie, FL 34986 (Located at Indian River State College) O: 772.336.6256 ■ C: 772.812.0107 ■ jdubey@youredc.com www.youredc.com Please Note: Florida has very broad public records laws. Most written communications to or from County officials regarding County business are public records available to the public and media upon request. It is the policy of St. Lucie County that all County records shall be open for personal inspection, examination and / or copying. Your e-mail communications will be subject to public disclosure unless an exemption applies to the communication. If you received this email in error, please notify the sender by reply e-mail and delete all materials from all computers. '. 3