Dear Business Partners,
Nick came around and passed out the below information to the downtown district today, for those partners outside of the district the information is below. We hope that you find this info helpful to your business in the midsts of COVID-19.
Venice MainStreet will continue to provide support to our partners by sharing your updates with our community and compiling resources.
INFORMATION FOR BUSINESSES
FLORIDA BUSINESSES AND EMPLOYERS SHOULD REFER TO THE
CDC
FOR UP-TO-DATE GUIDANCE ON BUSINESS OPERATIONS.
ALL ITEMS LISTED ARE PROVIDED TO THE BEST KNOWLEDGE Of Venice MainStreet AT THE TIME of Notification FOR THE BENEFIT OF BUSINESSES.
Recommended Strategies
- Actively encourage sick employees to stay home
- Emphasize staying home when sick, respiratory etiquette, and hand hygiene for all employees
- Perform routine environmental cleaning.
- Advise employees before traveling to take preventative steps recommended by CDC.
Resources for Businesses and Employers
Business Damage Assessment Survey for COVID-19
On March 12, Governor Ron DeSantis announced the activation of the
Business Damage Assessment survey
to assess the impact of COVID-19 on Florida’s local business operations. The survey, managed by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO), will evaluate businesses affected by COVID-19 and the impacts the virus has had on the local economy so actions to implement appropriate relief programs can begin.
The National Small Business Association
also has set up an online portal for small businesses to share how their business are being impacted in order to provide real-time insight to reporters and policymakers on what small business needs. They have been connecting small-business owners with reporters to get the word out about how the virus is impacting them which has resulted in some important coverage.
Potential HR Issues Arising from the Coronavirus
The American Society of Employers (ASE) has put together a very comprehensive
FAQ
regarding coronavirus and how employers can respond to and work with your employees.
Small-business owners should also be aware that there may be some OSHA-related implications when it comes to the virus. Companies in certain industries where workers are at risk of encountering infection may be subject to requirements to protect workers from exposure by using appropriate personal protective equipment such as gloves, eye, face, and respiratory protection. If a worker becomes sick after exposure on the job, it could be a recordable illness. To read more
click here.
In addition to these resources, it is worth noting that the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship sent a formal letter and request to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to detail its plan to support small business in the case of a broad outbreak. Committee Chair Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and Ranking Member Ben Cardin (D-Md.) have also requested a formal briefing from SBA Administrator Jovita Carranza.
The letter can be found
here
.
We hope this information is helpful and we will continue to update you as more becomes available.
Sincerely,
Kara Morgan
(941)-484-6722
kara.morgan@venicemainstreet.com
