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Alliance Board of Directors Meeting
Thursday, May 21
7:15 a.m.
Via Conference Call
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Alliance Executive Committee Meeting
Tuesday, June 2
3:30 p.m.
TBD
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As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect our communities, the Alliance has been working hard to share business resources on our website and in frequent email communications to help businesses navigate the challenges this pandemic continues to present.
Information evolves quickly and we continue to monitor sources to share relevant details with you. If you are looking for specific information, please reach out so we can help. We stand ready to assist.
Lois Ellis, Executive Director
906.360.4653
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U.P. Reopening Starts May 22
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Executive Orders 2020-91 and 2020-92 allow for the reopening of retail businesses, office work that can not be performed remotely, and restaurants and bars with limited seating starting on May 22 across the U.P. and in the northern Lower Peninsula. The two regions—specifically, Michigan Economic Recovery Council regions 6 and 8, as detailed in the governor’s
MI Safe Start Plan
are the first to begin phasing in more business activity to re-engage Michigan’s economy. Find the Executive Orders on our
website
where we will post updates as they become available.
All businesses will need to develop a COVID-19 preparedness and response plan, consistent with recommendations in Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19, developed by the Occupational Health and Safety Administration. By June 1, 2020, or within two weeks of resuming in-person activities, whichever is later, a business’s or operation’s plan must be made readily available to employees, labor unions, and customers, whether via website, internal network or by hard copy.
OSHA Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19
and example preparedness and response plans by level of business risk from the Michigan Chamber are also available
here
.
As businesses reopen, there are additional restart toolkits and information available on our COVID-19 Business Assistance page
here
.
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LOYAL to LOCAL has launched a new feature on the
website
, highlighting Business Participants that offer gift cards for purchase. Find businesses by their category, along with gift card purchase instructions, all in one place.
Our businesses need your support now more than ever! If you are an employer looking for ways to reward your employees, please consider purchasing local gift cards. Consumers, please consider purchasing gift cards from your favorite businesses to give as gifts or to redeem later to treat yourself. All current LOYAL to LOCAL business participants are invited to be a part of the new website feature. Please reach out to
Lois Ellis
to learn more.
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#KEEPUPWORKING
Promoting U.P. jobs, highlighting essential workers and answering questions on why it pays to work now.
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We are excited to announce a new promotional campaign - #KeepUPWorking - to educate people about the benefits of full-time employment at this time rather than relying on unemployment. We will be highlighting local companies in the Dickinson County Area that are actively hiring along with sharing the extensive safety measures implemented to ensure safe workplaces during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Alliance and U.P. Michigan Works are collaborating on this campaign to share information about employers and job openings. The campaign will kick-off on May 26. For more information, visit our
website
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LSCP Webinar
Work Share Program and Response Plans by the
Dept. of Labor and Economic Opportunity
Friday May 22, 2020
12:00 PM - 1:30 PM EDT
This discussion by the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity will highlight the Work Share Program which allows employers to keep employees working with reduced hours, while employees collect partial unemployment benefits to makeup a portion of the lost wages. The panel will also touch on Preparedness Response plans required by Executive Order (E.O) 2020-91 requiring all businesses that are open or about to reopen have a plan that must be readily available for employees, labor unions and customers.
Panelists include:
Carrie Dillon, Dept. of Labor and Economic Opportunity Unemployment Insurance Analyst- Work Share Program
TBD, Dept. of Labor and Economic Opportunity- Preparedness and Response Plans
Please submit questions for the panelists prior to the webinar by emailing
Emily Tardiff
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InvestUP Reopening the U.P. Webinar
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There will be a Q&A opportunity during the webinar, but InvestUP is looking for questions to help shape the content of the event to address common concerns of the business community. If you have any questions or concerns you would like to provide about either executive order, please email by
6pm ET today, Wednesday, May 20, 2020
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Bay College Offers Problem Solving Workshop
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This Creative Problem Solving workshop will give participants an overview of the entire creative problem solving process, as well as key problem solving tools that they can use every day. Skills such as brainstorming, information gathering, analyzing data, and identifying resources will be covered during the workshop.
The workshop will be offered via Zoom on the following dates (total of 4 hours)
Workshop fee is $205
Tuesday, June 16 & Thursday, June 18
9:30 - 11:30 AM CT
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Work Share Program Available
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Michigan’s Work Share program allows employers to restart their business and bring employees back from unemployment. Employers can bring employees back with reduced hours - while employees collect partial unemployment benefits to make up a portion of the lost wages. Employers can also retain their current workforce and are given the flexibility to choose which of their employees are part of a Work Share plan.
With the Work Share program, a worker receives a reduced salary from an employer, but is given a percent of their state benefits plus the additional $600 federal benefit through July. The reduction in work hours must result in an equivalent reduction in wages. Read more on the
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State Industry Workgroups Forming
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The creation of advisory workgroups (led by the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity), will provide input on Michigan’s process to safely re-engage the economy. Workgroups will focus on mitigation of transmission risk in the workplace, including but not limited to best practices for workplace safety, PPE requirements, and retraining workers on newly implemented COVID-19 work requirements. The workgroups announced on May 12
th
included childcare, hair salons/barbershops/cosmetology, home service providers, outdoor recreation, and restaurants/bars. These groups have already started meeting.
This week, the following workgroups will be announced:
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Churches/Community Centers/Community Events
Congregate Care Facilities
(criminal justice settings, nursing homes, adult foster care, homeless shelters, etc.)
Financial Institutions
Behavioral Health
(counselors, substance health disorder, autism, psychology, etc.)
Wellness
(massage therapy, medical spas, etc.)
Insurance
Public Transit
Traditional Office Setting
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If you’re interested in being involved with this round of workgroups, please contact the above point-of-contact (POC) for the specific workgroup by this
Thursday, May 21
st
at 6:00 pm ET
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