!

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's Executive Order 38 went into effect July 29, 2021. The order places no restrictions on operating limits for business and makes optional the use of facial coverings for local government and public school systems. The order also prevents private businesses that receive public funds from requiring customers to prove they have been immunized. Read the full order here.

A link to all executive orders is available here.

---

What is Being Done to Help Business Owners?

 

U.S. Small Business Administration

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is offering Small Business Disaster Loans to the state of Texas to help with economic losses related to major event cancellations, loss of walk-in customers, depletion of stock from suppliers and client cancellations related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The assistance is part of the SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Declaration that grants access to its Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. Small businesses in Richardson that believe are eligible for an SBA EIDL may visit www.sba.gov/disaster to apply for disaster assistance.

 

SBA Shuttered Venue Operators Grants

NOTICE: As of Aug. 20, 2021, the SVOG Portal is no longer accepting new applications. The portal remains open to all active applicants and awardees.

The U.S. Small Business Administration officially opened the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG) application portal April 8, 2021 at 11 a.m. CDT for operators of live venues, live performing arts organizations, museums and movie theaters, as well as live venue promoters, theatrical producers and talent representatives to apply for critical economic relief, as those eligible entities are some of the first that had to shutter their doors a year ago in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The SVOG program was appropriated more than $16.2 billion for grants via the Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small Businesses, Nonprofits and Venues Act and the American Rescue Plan Act. Of these funds, at least $2 billion is reserved for eligible SVOG applications with up to 50 full-time employees. Eligible applicants may qualify for grants equal to 45 percent of their gross earned revenue up to a maximum amount of $10 million for a single grant.

The SBA is accepting SVOG applications on a first-in, first-out basis and allocating applicants to respective priority periods as it receives applications. The first 14 days of SVOG awards, which are expected to begin in late April, will be dedicated to entities that suffered a 90 percent or greater revenue loss between April and December 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The second 14 days (days 15-28) will include entities that suffered a 70 percent or greater revenue loss between April and December 2020. Following those periods, SVOG awards will include entities that suffered a 25 percent or greater revenue loss between one quarter of 2019 and the corresponding quarter of 2020.

In addition, SBA’s resource partners, including SCORE Mentors, Small Business Development Centers, Women’s Business Centers and Veterans Business Outreach Centers, are available to provide entities with individual guidance on their applications. Applicants can find a local resource partner via SBA’s website at www.sba.gov/local-assistance or via a ZIP code at www.sba.gov/localassistance.

 

Funding Options

In addition to traditional SBA funding programs, the CARES Act established several new temporary programs to address the COVID-19 outbreak.

 

 

The Texas Comptroller's Office

The Texas Comptroller’s Office is offering assistance in the form of short-term payment agreements, and, in most instances, waivers of penalties and interest to those businesses that are struggling to pay the full amount of sales taxes they collected in February. In addition, the agency has a variety of online tools for businesses seeking assistance through its COVID-19 Emergency Response webpage at https://comptroller.texas.gov/about/emergency/. To learn about your options for remaining in compliance and avoiding interest and late fees on taxes due please call the Enforcement Hotline at 800-252-8880.

 

Business Interruption Insurance Information

Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins has added language to the County’s Declaration of Local Disaster for Public Health Emergency clarifying that COVID-19 causes property loss or damage. This clarification helps businesses qualify for business interruption insurance, which can cover financial losses including lost revenue.

 

---

 

Employment Support Services from the Texas Workforce Commission

If your employment has been affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19), you can apply for benefits through the Texas Workforce Commission online at any time using Unemployment Benefits Services (UBS) or by calling the Texas Workforce Commission’s Tele-Center at 800-939-6631 from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday.

TWC is reporting an increase in call volumes and hold times on its Tele-Center phone lines. People are encouraged to use the online claim portal, Unemployment Benefits Services to handle their claim needs quickly. UBS is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are new to UBS, you will need to create a TWC Internet User ID when you first log on.

Log on to UBS to:

• Apply for unemployment benefits
• Sign up for Electronic Correspondence so you can receive your TWC communications online as soon as possible
• Request benefit payment
• Monitor your claim and payment status
• Change your payment option
• Appeal online and view your appeal status: An appeal is your written notice that you disagree with a TWC decision and want your case decided through the appeal process
• Sign up to withhold federal income tax from your benefit payments
  Note: Unemployment benefits are taxable income reportable to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) under federal law. You must report all unemployment benefits you receive to the IRS on your federal tax return. Tax withholding is completely voluntary; withholding taxes is not required. If you choose to withhold taxes, the TWC will withhold 10 percent of the gross amount of each of your benefit payments and send it to the IRS.

TWC will investigate why you lost your job and mail a decision explaining whether you are eligible for unemployment benefits. TWC has waived the work search requirement for all claimants at this time.

 

Skills Development Fund
The Texas Workforce Commission’s (TWC) Skills Development Fund program has launched a special COVID-19 initiative. Texas businesses impacted by COVID-19 may receive training for existing employees and new hires through partnerships with training providers. Eligible applicants include public community and technical colleges, Workforce Development Boards and the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service.

For more information, visit https://www.twc.texas.gov/partners/skills-development-fund-training-providers-workforce-development-partners#skillsDevelopmentFundCovid1SpecialTrainingInitiative

 

Governor's Small Business Webinar Series
The Governor's Office of Economic Development has several webinars targeted to small businesses. All previous webinars can be seen on the department’s YouTube channel, https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk2mldvOd_Ez6ih92rS69gw.

 

---

 

 

Richardson Chamber of Commerce
The Richardson Chamber of Commerce is keeping a list of resources available to local businesses.

View List

 

Resources for Businesses (Employers)

• US. Chamber of Commerce Foundation-Combating the Coronavirus
  
• U.S. Department of Labor
• U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation- Resilience in a Box
• Association of Chamber of Commerce
• US. Small Business Administration-Assistance and Guidance
• Texas Workforce Commission-Rapid Response
• Occupational Safety and Health Administration
• NACD Resource Center: Responding to COVID-19 Crisis
• Business Resources for COVID and other disaster preparedness
• SCORE Guidance for Small Businesses During Coronavirus
• Better Business Bureau tips on COVID-19
• The Food Industry Association-Coronavirus Resources
• America’s SBDC COVID-19 Resources for Small Businesses
• Texas Downtown Association- Information & Resources for Downtowns during COVID-19

 

Dallas Regional Chamber

The Dallas Regional Chamber has launched a new webpage to help displaced workers get back into the workforce during the COVID-19 crisis. The page and offers:

• leads for in-demand jobs;
• access to online courses to upskill into high-demand, well-paying jobs;
• childcare resources for parents involved in essential work; and
• links to help workers to file for unemployment claims.

 Fine out more information by visiting https://sayyestodallas.com/jobs/displaced-workers/.