• Paid Sick Leave for Workers
• For COVID-19 related reasons, employees receive up to 80 hours of paid sick leave and expanded paid child care leave when employees’ children’s schools are closed or child care providers are unavailable.
• Complete Coverage
• Health insurance costs are also included in the credit.
• Employers face no payroll tax liability.
• Self-employed individuals receive an equivalent credit.
• Employers receive 100% reimbursement for paid leave pursuant to the Act.
• Fast Funds
• An immediate dollar-for-dollar tax offset against payroll taxes will be provided
• Where a refund is owed, the IRS will send the refund as quickly as possible.
• Reimbursement will be quick and easy to obtain.
• Small Business Protection
• Employers with fewer than 50 employees are eligible for an exemption from the requirements to provide leave to care for a child whose school is closed, or child care is unavailable in cases where the viability of the business is threatened.
• Easing Compliance
• Requirements subject to 30-day non-enforcement period for good faith compliance efforts.

• SBA business disaster loans: pleased late Friday/early Saturday to see SBA's portal for small business disaster loans open up. MN businesses can now apply through www.sba.gov<http://www.sba.gov>. 3.75% interest rate, fixed term up to 30 years. Max $2M. Powerful vehicle. Suggest you apply early. Is a fed gov program, expect processing time. SBA is thinking 3 weeks before approval/denial news. Within 5 days, then, can expect $25K of the total amount applied for (for immediate cash needs), with more coming soon thereafter.
• Shelter in Place order: CA, NY, IL and others have implemented this. Gov Walz is not ready to consider this. Businesses are reaching out for preemptive exemptions, due to the necessity of their businesses. DEED understands this. if the Gov did decide that a Shelter in Place was required,
• exhaustive and robust list of exempted industries would be released. Have been looking at this already, considering other states' lists, so they have a good handle on what that would be. Theoretical exercise at this point.
• There would be a process for businesses to seek clarification. Each will be able to make a case for exemption should such an Order happen. Commitment is to be very thoughtful and to execute on a process.

• With PUC, is continuing to work to ensure people who are working from home have telecom services and that they are not cut off. If people have challenges in this environment, also ww electric utilities to ensure they have the staffing they need to continue to deliver their services reliably.
• Commerce ww a lot of different industries and we are ww DEED and Gov office re what are the essential industries and who are the essential workers.
• Concerns expressed by the Chamber re some pending deadlines for renewals of licenses for some professions we regulate, and we are having conversations with relevant committees in Legislature re authority to extend deadlines. Hope relatively soon we can provide our licensees clarity re deadlines that will apply.
• Continuing conversations with banks/credit unions to ensure they have resources they need to support local economies as many local businesses, like restaurants, deal with financial effects of this crisis. How can we support their efforts to support the local business community.

• Flup from last week's comments: our Construction Codes and Licensing Division has invoked its authority to provide all licensees a 90-day extension for required education. Submit renewals on time, but expect 90 additional days to complete education.
• CCLD is still providing full inspection services.
• OSHA is responding to increased health and safety questions.
• Have seen increase in calls from workers reporting discrimination after they report health and safety concerns.
• Labor Standards Division responding to questions re labor standards laws, including trying to get through the new Leave provisions of federal legislation that passed last week: expanded FMLA leave and paid sick leave.
• There is a request out there for business with personal protective equipment that could be bought and purchased... please self-identify so people can have access.

• Early last week we granted 30-day extension for sales and use tax monthly filers.
• Continuing to also look at how we can provide relief relative to property taxes and, hopefully, later today will be able to announce what we'll be doing relative to extending filing deadline for individual income taxes.
• Late last week we granted 60-day filing extension, on request, for MN Care returns, if needed. Applies to provider tax, hospital tax, surgical center, wholesale distributor drug tax.

• Re essential businesses... we are continuing to receive a large volume of contacts on that. Want to reassure folks we have a process in place for this. Is an ongoing process. At this point, such a decision has not been made.

• Notary publics, and needing 2 witnesses: WI has issued guidelines for video notarizing and witnessing. Are we considering? Kelly: haven't heard that one yet, will add to issues to address.
• SBA's 2020 Budget is $820M. Are they prepared for $250B program expansion to fund small business? Grove: we know they are ramping up, expanding call centers, moving quickly like the rest of us to increase capacity.
• Revenue mentioned discussion around property tax options. Can you clarify if deferring taxes are a state, county, or "both" decision? Dody: that would be both. We work to administer taxes for local govt, collect and then return to the local govt entities. But the deferring would have to be a "both" option.
• A number of questions about independent contractors: is it correct that disaster unemployment insurance is available to independent contractors (federal)? Grove: Let me look into that. Not sure... let us circle back tomorrow.
• Different businesses who need workers now: assisted living, grocery stores... asking of UI applicants can be made aware of these immediate job openings and encourage people to apply? Grove: have been talking to Labor Market office at DEED. Want to start posting specific info on job vacancies so folks know who is hiring... can get the data on a real time basis, and will circulate in our daily briefings yet this week.
• How do workers access the free child care that essential workers are eligible for? (health care, grocery store...) Grove: we have kept tools open for childcare for emergency workers, and last week Governor expanded that definition. Public instructions are available but, essentially, you work with your local school district. If you are an essential worker, bring your kids to the school with documentation, and they should be able to take them in.
• Delayed income tax filings... Revenue site still says 4/15. what is status? Dody: hopefully today we will be able to announce where we stand on that officially, in terms of filing deadline. Fed govt has made announcement that filing deadline will be extended to July 15... IRS has not provided that official guidance yet. As of today, I believe we'll be able to make an announcement.
• For Shared Work program, is 15-day waiting period waived? Grove: we did eliminate waiting period for re gular UI.. I'm not aware of there being a waiting period for the Shared Work program. This is the first time I've heard this question, will circle back.
• What assistance is available for undocumented employees? Grove: good question. We are doing what we can to pull levers to help workers as we can. First step has been UI... if not paying into UI, not eligible for that assistance. Working with a host of employees not covered there, but more to come at this point.
• Can businesses take out multiple loans with SBA? Say, $25K for payroll now, but may need additional capital if this situation continues. Can they go back and apply for more or is it a one-shot? Grove: not sure. Will flup.
• Can employers screen employees for a fever when they show up for work? Nicole: yes, it is going to be specific to the circumstances. As long as it isn't followed by any adverse employment action as a result of the screening. We are working on providing more guidance related to those types of actions and hopefully will have that up on our website. Along with that, more Dept of Human Rights: if, due to underlying health conditions, employees need accommodations, employer needs to be engaged in that for reasonable accommodations.
• SBA provided webinars and they were full. Is there a way to rebroadcast and link to DEED website? McKinnon: have heard that, will talk with SBA to open up more and/or post to websites. (Note to SPACC members: we spoke with SBA this past weekend; SBA has shared the presentation documents from this past weekend and will be posted on Ramsey County's COVID-19 site. Moving forward, will record training and share with us to post on Ramsey County's website to make available to businesses).