Today is Thursday. (Anyone else having trouble keeping track of time?)
We are trying our best to provide you relevant information with these daily updates and have heard encouraging feedback that these notices are of value to you. Please pass these updates to your colleagues or encourage them to sign up for our
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. And, of course, refer to our
Business Resource
page if you seek additional information. All of the resources you have seen in these email updates can be found on this page as well.
Let's dive in - so many updates, so little time:
This will impact our community in major ways. If the executive order changes your operations, please complete our
business survey
to tell us how we can help.
A Time to Donate
Gov. Walz has called on on us to consider volunteering and donating to nonprofits as they adjust to continue their important mission work during this difficult time. We encourage you to give what you can to the causes you care about. All forms of generosity are important and welcome, but during a crisis like this one, nonprofits stand to benefit most from a monetary donation to help offset temporary cash flow setbacks. Here are some ideas:
The COVID-19 Northeast Minnesota Response Fund will make grants to nonprofit organizations on the front lines of the COVID-19 response in Aitkin, Carlton, Cook, Itasca, Koochiching, Lake and St. Louis Counties. In particular, this fund will focus on nonprofits working with communities disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 and its consequences.
The COVID-19 Northwest Wisconsin Response Fund will make grants to nonprofit organizations doing similar work in Ashland, Bayfield and Douglas Counties.
The COVID-19 Nonprofit funds were created in collaboration with the Head of the Lakes United Way, the Lloyd K. Johnson Foundation, the Northland Foundation and the Ordean Foundation.
The Entrepreneur Fund has developed the
Small Business Relief Fund
to support businesses in our region hard hit by the Coronavirus pandemic. Funding will allow EF to provide financial grant assistance to business owners who are facing significant challenges but do not qualify for local, state or federal relief.
Donate Blood
Blood donations are needed as donations have declined amid the pandemic. Due to COVID-19, over 8,000 blood drives nationally have been cancelled, resulting in over 200,000 less blood donations. The American Red Cross - Northland Chapter is hosting a blood drive on Tuesday, March 31. Additional precautions will ensure the safety of donors and staff in response to concern, including:
- Scheduling appointments to manage number of people coming in and out at a given time
- Checking the temperature of staff and donors before entering a drive
- Providing hand sanitizer for use before the drive, as well as throughout the donation process
- Spacing beds, where possible, to follow social distancing practices between blood donors, and
- Increasing enhanced disinfecting of surfaces and equipment.
Families First Coronavirus Response Act
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) published its first round of implementation guidance pursuant to the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA).The guidance addresses critical questions such as:
- How does an employer count its number of employees to determine coverage?
- How can small businesses obtain an exemption?
- How does an employer count hours for part-time employees?
- How does an employer calculate wages employees are entitled to under the FFCRA?
The initial WHD guidance is available in three-parts:
