IMPORTANT BUSINESS UPDATE
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Governor Directs Flags to Remain Lowered for Peace Officers Memorial Day
Governor Gretchen Whitmer has directed U.S. and Michigan flags throughout the state of Michigan to remain lowered at half-staff on Friday, May 15, 2020, to honor Peace Officers Memorial Day during Police Week to honor officers killed or disabled in the line of duty.
Peace Officers Memorial Day falls within National Police Week, which was established by Congress in 1962 to recognize law enforcement officers who lost their lives in the line of duty and is observed from Sunday, May 10 through Saturday, May 16 of this year.
The State of Michigan recognizes the duty, honor and selfless service of law enforcement by lowering flags to half-staff. Michigan residents, businesses, schools, local governments and other organizations also are encouraged to display the flag at half-staff.
To lower flags to half-staff, flags should be hoisted first to the peak for an instant and then lowered to the half-staff position. The process is reversed before the flag is lowered for the day.
All flags will remain lowered to honor and mourn those who have lost their lives due to the coronavirus (COVID-19). The Executive Office of the Governor will send out a follow-up release when the flags are to be raised.
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Executive Order 2020-83 and 2020-84 Extend Capacity for Disaster Relief Child Care Services for Essential Workforce & Protect Residents/Staff in Long-Term Care Facilities
Executive Order 2020-83 continues the expanded access and capacity for child care services, giving priority to essential workforce, and extends until June 10, 2020. Executive Order 2020-84 continues to protect residents and staff in long-term care facilities and extends until May 20, 2020.
Executive Order 2020-83 ensures the availability of child care services for health care workers, first responders, and other workers during the COVID-19 crisis.
Under Executive Order 2020-83, the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) is authorized to issue expedited provisional licenses to expand capacity for child care services. It also allows employers, like hospitals, to operate a disaster relief child care center for their employees. Public and nonpublic school facilities can also be utilized to host a disaster relief child care center focused on providing services for members of the essential workforce.
Executive Order 2020-84 establishes procedures in long-term care facilities to protect the health and safety of both employees and residents. The order provides for standard safety protocols at nursing homes and other long-term care facilities to suppress the spread of COVID-19, keeping both residents and staff safe. It also establishes a network of “regional hubs” -- nursing homes with separate units devoted exclusively to care of COVID-19-affected patients.
Executive Order 2020-84 also protects long-term care residents from eviction and reaffirms the protection that Governor’s Whitmer Executive Order 2020-36 provided for employees who stay home from work when exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19. Additionally, the order uses CDC guidelines to establish precautionary measures within long-term care facilities.
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New Guidance on PPP Certification Requirements
Loans of Less Than $2 Million Are Considered Certified in Good Faith
Provided by Yeo & Yeo CPAs & Business Consultants
The Department of Treasury issued new guidance for borrowers about providing good-faith certification of their Payroll Protection Program (PPP) loan eligibility. The SBA and Treasury's
FAQ #46
explains how SBA will review the certifications.
SBA and Treasury determined that any borrower, together with its affiliates, that received PPP loans of less than $2 million will be deemed to have made the required certification in good faith. Recipients of loans less than $2 million do not need to return their loans because of concerns regarding their certification.
Borrowers with loans greater than $2 million will still have to provide an adequate basis for their certification. If SBA determines in the course of its review that a borrower lacked an adequate basis for the certification, SBA will seek repayment of the outstanding PPP loan balance and inform the lender that the borrower is not eligible for loan forgiveness. If the borrower repays the loan after receiving notification, SBA will not pursue administrative enforcement. As a reminder, if you choose to repay the loan, the safe-harbor loan repayment date is Thursday, May 14.
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Governor Whitmer and Plaintiffs Announce Settlement in Landmark Gary B. Literacy Case
Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer and plaintiffs in the Gary B. literacy case, initially filed against Governor Rick Snyder, signed a settlement agreement that resolves all of the plaintiffs’ claims against all of the defendants. This settlement marks a first step toward ensuring children in Detroit and all across Michigan – regardless of where they live – have the right to a quality education.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT:
- Proposed legislation: The Governor agrees to propose legislation during her first term that would provide Detroit Public School Community District (DPSCD) with at least $94.4m of funding for literacy-related programs and initiatives.
- Financial payment: The state agreed today to provide $280,000 to be shared among the seven individual student-plaintiffs to access a high-quality literacy program or otherwise further their education. These funds will be held in trust by the Detroit Public Schools Foundation for the student-plaintiffs. The state also agrees to provide $2.72m to be paid to DPSCD to fund various literacy-related supports.
- Guidance on evidence-based literacy strategies: The Governor will request the Michigan Department of Education to advise school districts throughout the state as to how they might use evidence-based literacy strategies, initiatives, and programs to improve access to literacy and literacy proficiency, with special attention to reducing class, racial, and ethnic disparities.
- Recommendations from task forces: The governor will receive recommendations from two Detroit-based tasks forces that will be created to help ensure a quality education for students:
- The Detroit Literacy Equity Task Force will be created outside of state government to conduct yearly evaluations around literacy in Detroit and will provide state-level policy recommendations to the governor. This task force will include students, parents, literacy experts, teachers, a paraprofessional, and other community members.
- The Detroit Educational Policy Committee will focus on the stability and quality of the overall educational ecosystem in Detroit; the accessibility of a quality school to all children in Detroit; and school improvement, facilities, teaching, and educational materials. The governor will either create this advisory body or recognize an already existing body to perform this function.
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Resources for Business and the Community
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The Saginaw County Chamber of Commerce maintains a list of federal, state, and local resources that provide aid and information for your business, employees and our community during the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic. This information is ever-changing, please check the Chamber's
website,
Facebook, and your email frequently.
We will add links, resources, and updates as information becomes available. We are also converting our At A Glance Newsletter to include Coronavirus links and information as well as local updates, job availability, member coupons and most importantly Member News. Please let us know what your business is doing and how you are functioning during this uncertain time. We need to stay connected and support each other.
Reopening Plan Templates, Playbooks, and Best Practices can be found on the Saginaw Chamber/Saginaw Future joint
Reopening Business Playbook page.
If you are offering a service to help the Saginaw County Community or local businesses weather this storm, please email your information to
info@saginawchamber.org.
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Thank you and stay healthy.
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