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The Westlake Chamber of Commerce has suspended all events and meetings through April 30.

Please stay tuned for updated event information on this page.

 

CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES

 

As you are looking to make some business decisions during these unprecedented times and are evaluating how COVID-19 is impacting your business, please take a look at the following options that MAY be available for you going forward. The Westlake Chamber of Commerce will be diligently working to continuously update this page as information is received and provide easy-to-understand explanations of how the resources found here impact individuals and different-sized businesses, by providing toolkits and links to much needed documents! We are here to help!  Please let us know if we missed an important resource or if you need further explanation!  Below you will find:

 

Business Loans/Financial Information

SBA Small Business Administration Disaster Recovery Loans

Grants and Other Assistance

HR and Employment Laws

Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) - Resources for Employers

TWC Encourages Shared Work Program

Qualified Sick Leave Wages

Qualified Family Wages

FMLA – Family Medical Leave Act

Employee Assistance

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Business Loans/Financial Information

 

SBA Disaster Recovery Loans

• The SBA has created a comprehensive Coronavirus page with all of its resources in one place. You can find that page here.

 

• The SBA announced it would offer disaster assistance loans for up to $2 million for small businesses affected by the coronavirus. These low-interest loans are available to businesses that have sustained “substantial economic injury” due to the spread of the coronavirus.

 

• These loans can be used to pay off outstanding debts, payroll and any other bills they are unable to pay. However, small businesses that have access to credit are not eligible. Small businesses with no available credit qualify for an interest rate of 3.75%, and nonprofits will have an interest rate of 2.75%.

SBA Disaster Loan Assistance

Three-Step Loan Process Flyer

Apply for a Disaster Loan (the site may be down from time to time due to volume) Peak volume is 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM.

Sign up for updates from SBA.

 

• SBA provides a number of loan resources for small businesses to utilize when operating their business. For more information on loans or how to connect with a lender, click here.

 

Grants and other assistance from companies and organizations

 

• Facebook has launched a grant program for small businesses. You can read about it here. In addition to a grant program, Facebook also has a list of resources which you can access here.

 

• Intuit QuickBooks is providing a long list of small businesses plans and resources to tap into during the crisis, including financial preparedness information, safe travel tips and workplace prevention tips.

 

• Yelp is providing $25 million in funding relief to small businesses, particularly restaurants and nightlife businesses, affected by COVID-19. This includes free access to page upgrades. You can find more information about how to qualify for aid here.

 

• The National Federation of Independent Businesses, a small business special interest group, is offering legal resources and webinars related to the virus.

 

• If you run a restaurant or restaurant group, the Restaurant Worker’s Community Foundation has information related to grants, financial programs and other resources for restaurants affected by COVID-19. This includes immigrant-specific concerns, USBG relief grants and a COVID-19 relief fund sponsored by the organization.

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HR and Employment Laws

 

Texas Workforce Commission - Resources for Employers

At present, the U.S. government and Texas legislature have not changed any laws or rules concerning unemployment benefits during the pandemic. However, Department of Labor guidance provides that federal law permits significant flexibility for states to provide Unemployment Insurance (UI) services related to COVID-19. Based on this, TWC will be waiving work search requirements for all claimants and the waiting week for those claimants affected by COVID-19. Also, Extended Benefits (EB) and Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) are NOT available at this time.

 

The Texas Unemployment Insurance (UI) program pays benefits to those individuals who lost their jobs through no fault of their own. TWC determines benefit eligibility based on past wages, why someone lost their job, and ongoing eligibility requirements.

Mass claims and shared work programs

Unemployment Benefits

Need to reduce an employee's hours?

 

Texas Workforce Commission Encourages Employers to Enrolled in Shared Work Program

The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) encourages employers to enroll in Shared Work program as an alternative to layoffs. The voluntary Shared Work program was developed to help Texas employers and employees withstand a slowdown in business such as the impact of COVID-19.

 

Shared Work allows employers to supplement their employees’ wages lost because of reduced work hours with partial unemployment benefits. Under the program employers can reduce normal weekly work hours for employees in an affected unit by at least 10 percent but not more than 40 percent. Shared Work unemployment benefits are payable to employees who qualify for and participate in an approved Shared Work Plan. Workers may choose not to participate. Employees who qualify will receive both wages and Shared Work unemployment benefits.

 

The employer can use the Shared Work Plan only for employees whose hours have been reduced. Shared Work benefits can be paid only for wages lost because of a reduction in the employee's regular hours. Regular hours may not exceed 40 hours. An employee who normally works overtime may not receive shared work benefits for a reduction in their overtime hours.

 

Shared work employees must:

• Submit their unemployment claims on Unemployment Benefits Services
• Be eligible for regular unemployment benefits
• Accept all work offered by the participating employer
• Be able and available for work with the employer

 

For more information on the Shared Work Program or to apply for the program, click here.

 

Qualified Sick Leave Wages

Businesses with fewer than 500 employees must pay up to 80 hours of emergency paid sick leave to full-time employees (pro-rata rules apply to part-time employees) who are home sick from coronavirus, complying with a quarantine, or taking care of an individual who has been infected. This leave also applies to working families who may be forced home due to school closures.

Federal government will provide employers with a refundable payroll tax credit of 100 percent of the required wages.
Employees are capped at $200 per day ($511 per day in the case of employees that are home sick from coronavirus or complying with a quarantine).

 

FMLA – Family Medical Leave Act

Businesses with fewer than 500 employees must provide an additional 12 weeks of paid leave due to caring for a child whose school is closed. 

How does this impact your business?

• The first 2 weeks of the leave, which is covered by the qualified sick leave described above, may be unpaid.
• During the remaining 10 weeks, the employer will pay 2/3 of the employee’s salary, capped at $200 per day for up to 50 days.
• Federal government will provide businesses with a refundable payroll tax credit of 100 percent of the required wages.
• Secretary of Labor may issue rules to exempt small businesses with fewer than 50 employees from these requirements when the imposition of such requirements would jeopardize the viability of the business as a going concern.

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Employee Assistance Programs

Because anxiety and worry is at an all-time high, both Cigna and UnitedHealthcare are making emotional support lines available at no cost to any individual that could benefit from the service. 

For individuals who do not have health benefits or employee assistance program benefits through Cigna but could benefit from talking with a qualified representative, the toll-free number, 866.912.1687, will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for as long as necessary. The service is open to anyone and free of charge to help people manage their stress and anxiety so they can continue to address their everyday needs. Callers may also receive referrals to community resources to help them with specific concerns, including financial and legal matters. 

Non-UnitedHealthcare Clients and Customers Impacted

Free service for members and non-members. Emotional support line with specially trained mental health professionals. Available 24/7. Can speak with individuals to help work through fears and can provide referrals to community resources to assist with specific concerns, including financial and legal matters. The number is 866.342.6892.