March 19, 2020
First off, thanks to all of you for the work you are doing in our communities. In times of crises Oregonians rely on Oregon’s nonprofits to support our communities for so many needs – food, shelter, health care – and so much more. Once again during this COVID-19 crisis we see nonprofits coming together, springing into action, and taking care of our communities
However, while nonprofits are busy taking care of the communities’ needs, nonprofits are simultaneously grappling internally with the challenges of operating their own organizations and dealing with the harsh realities of a situation that is fast moving and constantly changing. Budgets are strained and we know most of our nonprofits are hurting right now – many have had to cancel programs (like us), close facilities, consider difficult choices, and pivot to figuring out the immediate future. To top this all, there are many unanswered questions and not much of a playbook for handling a crisis such as this pandemic. That’s why NAO is bringing you regular updates (like this one), resources (such as the
Legal and Insurance-Related Issues for Nonprofits to Consider webinar
) through subject-matter experts with a robust Q&A session; and webinars directly related to COVID-19, such as
Navigating the Financial Impact of the COVID-19 Crisis Webinar
(a series of three sessions). Check out NAOs’ regularly updated
COVID-19 Resources
on our website.
General Update
COVID-19 is not abating around the world. The latest is that Italy has now surpassed China in terms of the number of reported deaths related to COVID-19. In the U.S. all states and territories have COVID-19 cases, the number of cases continues to grow across the country, with Oregon’s total reaching 88 as of this afternoon. The U.S. State Department has instructed U.S. citizens not to travel internationally, many states, counties, and cities have imposed restrictions on the number of gatherings, schools and universities are closed, companies have asked employees to work remotely, and shelter in place has been instituted in many areas. Governor Brown has said she is not instituting a shelter in place approach; however, Portland’s mayor, Ted Wheeler indicates that he is currently considering a shelter in place approach to control the spread of the virus. For the latest COVID-19 information, check out the
Oregon Health Authority
,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
, and
Oregon Governor’s office
.
Public Policy Updates related to COVID-19
At the federal level, there is some good news to report as actions are being taken by both the Trump Administration and Congress. On March 18, 2020, President Trump signed the
Emergency Family First Coronavirus Response Act
into law. The FFCRA requiring certain employers to provide employees with paid sick or family leave for specified reasons related to COVID-19. These provisions will be administered and enforced by the United States Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division, and will apply from the effective date through December 31, 2020. The law is applicable to private employers (including nonprofits) with fewer than 500 employees.
The FFCRA provides that employees of covered employers are eligible for:
- Two weeks of paid sick time at the employee’s regular rate of pay while the employee is quarantined, self-quarantined, or experiencing COVID-19 symptoms and seeking diagnosis; or
- Two weeks of paid sick time at two-thirds the employee’s regular rate of pay while caring for an individual subject to quarantine or self-quarantine, caring for a child whose school or childcare provider is closed or unavailable for reasons related to COVID-19, or experiencing a substantially similar condition as specified by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in consultation with the Secretaries of the Treasury and Labor; and
- An additional 10 weeks of paid family leave at two-thirds the employee’s regular rate of pay to care for a child whose school or child-care provider is closed or unavailable for reasons related to COVID-19.
The Wage and Hour Division continues to provide information on common issues employers and employees face when responding to influenza, pandemics, or other public health emergencies, and their effects on wages and hours worked under the Fair Labor Standards Act and job-protected leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act. Please visit our website for additional information at
https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/pandemic
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The U.S. DoL Wage and Hour Division wants your input! As they urgently develop the implementing regulations and guidance supporting this new law and explaining its new requirements,
PLEASE JOIN FOR A PAID LEAVE VIRTUAL TOWN HALL on Friday. March 20, 2020 at 10 a.m. (Eastern Time)
- Dial this number for audio access: 888-791-5525; Participant passcode: 6860607
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You may remember that on March 12, the U.S. Department of Labor
announced
guidance to states regarding unemployment insurance flexibilities related to COVID-19.
Additionally, the Internal Revenue Service has
established a webpage
and special section focused on steps to help taxpayers, businesses and others affected by the coronavirus. Including Treasury and IRS Issue Guidance on Deferring Tax Payments Due to COVID-19 Outbreak, High-deductible health plans can cover coronavirus costs and Payment Deadline Extended to July 15, 2020.
NAO has been working with national partners the National Council of Nonprofits and Independent Sector to ensure Oregon’s nonprofit voices were expressed through this
joint letter
sent to the White House and Congress.
We are seeking support both for those nonprofits directly involved in combatting COVID-19, as well as economic relief for all the staff and nonprofits that will be impacted by losses of revenues and shuttered programs.
The Oregon legislature has created a
Joint Special Committee On Coronavirus Response
that has already
begun hearing testimony
of the impacts of the pandemic on Oregonians and how lawmakers can respond. Several coalitions of organizations have been sending
testimony
and
letters
. We highly encourage nonprofits across Oregon
contact your legislators
and let them know both the critical role that you are playing in responding to this crisis. Whether your nonprofit is on the front line of health service or helping to “flatten the curve” by closing down operations and keeping staff and volunteers healthy, you need to be talking to your legislators. Important decisions are being made and you play a critical role!
Engaging regional funders to support Oregon’s nonprofits
NAO continues to work with and through
Grantmakers of Oregon and Southwest Washington
to share information with Oregon funders about the impact COVID-19 is having on Oregon’s nonprofit sector as well as the types of resources nonprofits need during this time. Funders have been very responsive and are working hard to support Oregon’s nonprofits in various ways. Oregon Community Foundation together with a group of foundations has launched an
Oregon Community Recovery F
und
, MRG Foundation has launched a
Community Response Fund
, Northwest Health Foundation has made immediate changes in
response to COVID-19,
and The Ford Family Foundation announced
grantee flexibility
. Also, the United Way of Lane County has launched a
Community Response Fund
and the United Way of Jackson County has launched a
COVID-19 Response Fund.
We know that other funders are also actively ramping up special fund-making activities. We will keep you posted as we hear more.
We strongly encourage you to continue to follow the advice of public health officials and the government, wash your hands, don’t touch your face, practice social distancing, and take care of yourselves and your loved ones.
Our world is very different today from pre-COVID-19. Many of us are working remotely, many are worried about our loved ones who are in vulnerable or at-risk groups, and many are wondering if we’ll have jobs. It is at times like these that nonprofit leadership must be unwavering and step forward – thank your teams for their tireless work, appreciate the small things, recognize that everyone is making adjustments, and
communicate, communicate, communicate
. All of us are in this together.
We want to hear from you on how COVID-19 is impacting your organizations. How is your nonprofit being impacted, what are the challenges your nonprofit is having to deal with, and where what information and resources to you need. Send us your thoughts to:
executivedirector@nonprofitoregon.org
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Jim White
Executive Director
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