Supporting Your Business is Our Business!
May 7, 2021
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Join us in welcoming
our newest member!
Wray's Landscaping Inc.
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Your VOTE Matters - Vote YES on May 18!
Voters have an important decision to make for their communities in the upcoming election. On the May 18 Primary Election ballot, voters will have the opportunity to vote on proposed constitutional amendments that will help to restore important checks and balances to state government. With simple YES votes, voters can help ensure their voices are represented during current and future emergency disaster declaration decisions.
Restore a check and balance to the process. Support all three ballot questions on May 18!.
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OSHA is holding an online summit May 10-13 on “Building a Safer Future –
Workplaces During the Pandemic.”
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Pa. GOP wants to restore work-search rule for anyone
applying for jobless benefits
Marc Levy, Associated Press
Wednesday, May 5, 2021
HARRISBURG — Republicans in Pennsylvania’s GOP-controlled Legislature are advancing legislation to reinstate work-search requirements for people claiming unemployment benefits, with one survey showing that workers aren’t taking open jobs at a record rate. The bill cleared the House Labor and Industry Committee on a party-line vote Tuesday. Lawmakers suspended the work-search requirement through 2020 amid the pandemic last year, and Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat, extended the waiver administratively into this year. The bill would reinstate the requirement starting June 8. Wolf’s office did not say whether he supports or opposes the bill, only that he would review it should it pass the Legislature. Wolf’s office also did not say whether he plans to reinstate the work-search requirement, even as his administration prepares to drop his remaining pandemic restrictions on gatherings and business capacity starting on Memorial Day. The bill’s sponsor, Labor and Industry Committee Chairman Jim Cox, R-Berks, contends that employers are having trouble finding workers and that they often blame the additional $300 per week in federal unemployment benefits during the pandemic and the lack of a work-search requirement. The extra $300 weekly is scheduled to last through the week ending Sept. 4. Pennsylvania reported about 255,000 initial and continued unemployment compensation claims last week. Still, Wolf’s office said unemployment benefits only provide a portion of a worker’s lost wages, and countered that certain industries may have difficulty hiring workers because, for instance, some parents have children learning at home or some people are waiting for a second vaccine dose before returning to work.
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Mental Health Wellness Strategies For Employers Webinar
FREE WEBINAR
WEDNESDAY, MAY 19, 2021 | 11 AM TO NOON
Anxiety and depression are surging nationwide as fear and uncertainty persist amid the COVID-19 pandemic. It is critical that employers adopt a people-first approach to balancing mental health challenges with employee productivity.
Join top clinical psychologist Dr. Michael Diller of WellSpan EAP and WellSpan Health as he discusses the latest research on the physical, mental, and emotional impacts of COVID-19 with emphasis on employee wellbeing. He will offer practical strategies and resources that businesses can use to support and connect with employees.
This free program is designed to help employers better serve the wellness needs of their workforce now and beyond the pandemic.
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$10,000 Grants
As part of its COVID-19 relief effort, KKR aims to support small businesses around the world through the KKR Small Business Builders fund. This program provides $10,000 grants and mentoring to help owners during COVID-19.
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Partners In Excellence
Platinum
Fulton County Medical Center
Gold
Stern Insurance Agency
Silver
Community State Bank
Mutual Benefit Group
Bronze
Bumgardner & Flasher Oil, Inc.
Orbisonia Hardware, Inc.
Royal
BottomLine Pros LLC
FirstEnergy Corporation
Helpmates, Inc.
Jeff Tate Paving, Inc.
Juniata College
Keller Engineers
Lincoln Caverns, Inc. and Whisper Rocks
McDonald's
MDB Drafting & Design
Stiffler, McGraw and Associates, Inc.
Interested in learning about becoming a Partner in Excellence?
Packages range from $125 to $1,000.
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Business After Hours
Huntingdon Rotary &
Huntingdon County Foundation
Gage Mansion Bed & Breakfast
May 27, 2021
5:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Annual Golf Tournament
Huntingdon Country Club
June 9, 2021
11:30 a.m. Registration
1:00 p.m. Shotgun Start
Welcome M.A.T.
Lincoln Caverns
June 24, 2021
4:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Business After Hours
Lincoln Caverns
June 24, 2021
5:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Annual Membership Luncheon
Huntingdon Country Club
August 19, 2021
11:45 - 1:15
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Sporting Clay Tournament
Shenecoy Sportsmen Club
September 15, 2021
September 22, 2021 Rain Date
2:15 p.m. Registration
3:00 p.m. Shoot
Annual Awards Gala
Huntingdon Country Club
October 7, 2021
5:30 p.m. Reception
6:00 p.m. Dinner
Hold the Date:
Disc Golf Tournament
September 1, 2021
Sunset Golf Club, LLC
2022 Administrative Professionals Luncheon is Wednesday, April 27, 2022.
"Highway to Rock" Concert
May 21, 2022
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Paid Leave Tax Credit Resources and Guidance
Click here to view the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Fact Sheet to learn more about the Paid Leave Tax Credit, how it works, and who is qualified to received it.
Click here to view the Internal Revenue Service (IRS)’s Fact Sheet to learn more about how to claim the tax credit during quarterly filings and additional resources for employers about the program.
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Vaccines at Penn Highlands Healthcare
Penn Highlands Healthcare is now vaccinating anyone that meets the Pennsylvania Department of Health Phase 1A and 1B following the DOH’s updated COVID-19 vaccine rollout timeline recently announced.
Phase 1A includes anyone 65 or older and those 16-64 with high-risk conditions. Phase 1B includes front-line essential workers: first responders (e.g., firefighters and police officers), corrections officers, food and agricultural workers, U.S. Postal Service workers, manufacturing workers, grocery store workers, public transit workers, and those who work in the education sector (teachers and support staff members) as well as child care workers.
Penn Highlands Healthcare is taking names to be put on a waitlist for individuals in the Pennsylvania Department of Health COVID-19 Vaccination Phase 1C.
To sign-up to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, visit https://bit.ly/3a0Qt5S or call the PHH Vaccine Information Line at 814-503-4735.
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Apply May 3 for Restaurant Revitalization Funds
April 30, beginning at 9:00 a.m. you can register at restaurants.sba.gov. You must register prior to applying even if you have registered in the past for other programs. POS providers Clover, NCR Corp., Square and Toast will work directly with restaurants to help them apply for the grants. Applications will be taken through Square and Toast as well as the SBA. If you are not applying through SBA, you do not need to register with them. There is also a phone number that you can call for an application, but this process will take longer than applying online.
Beginning on May 3 at noon you can submit your application. Priority will be given to women owned, veteran owned, and socially and economically disadvantaged businesses for the first 21 days. It is strongly, encouraged that you still apply on May 3 at noon to get into the que before funding runs out. Over and over again during all the webinars we were told to encourage applying “first day, first hour, first minute.”
Preparation: Prior to applying you should make sure you are prepared to answer the questions on this sample application and have all the necessary documents in a pdf format and labeled ready to upload. We have been told that the average application time is 27 minutes, if you are prepared prior to completing it. We have also been told that it should take approximately 14 days for approval. See the section below for required documentation. A call center and knowledge base support center can be found on the SBA website.
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Safe Harbor for Small Businesses to Claim Deductions Relating to First-round Paycheck Protection Program Loans
The Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service issued Revenue Procedure 2021-20 for certain businesses that received first-round Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans but did not deduct any of the original eligible expenses because they relied on guidance issued before the enactment of tax relief legislation in December of 2020.
Under prior guidance, businesses that received PPP loans to cover payroll costs, interest on covered mortgage obligations, covered rent obligation payments, and covered utility payments could not deduct corresponding expenses.
With the Dec. 27, 2020, enactment of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, businesses now may claim these deductions even though they received PPP loans to cover original eligible expenses. These businesses can use the safe harbor provided by this guidance to deduct those expenses on the return for the immediately subsequent year.
More information on COVID-19 related tax relief for business can be found on IRS.gov
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Shuttered Venue Operators Grant Application Open
Beginning April 8, 2021, venue operators that have been impacted by COVID-19 will be able to apply for the U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG) program. The program has allocated over $16 billion in grants for shuttered venues, to be administered by SBA’s Office of Disaster Assistance.
Eligibility Includes:
· Live venue operators or promoters
· Theatrical producers
· Live performing arts organization operators
· Relevant museum operators, zoos, and aquariums
· Motion picture theater operations
· Talent representatives
Eligible businesses must have been in operation as of February 29, 2020. If the venue or promoter received a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan on or after December 27, 2020, the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant will be reduced by the Paycheck Protection Program loan amount.
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Workforce Development Symposium
Pennsylvania Highlands Community College will be hosting a virtual Workforce Development Symposium on Wednesday, May 19 from 8:00-10:00AM.
They would like to identify:
- Technical training opportunities that aren’t currently offered locally.
- Soft skill training opportunities.
- Customized short-term certificates and two-year degree programs that can quickly provide skilled labor to our businesses and industries.
- Mutually beneficial partnerships, synergistic in nature, that can boost our overall effectiveness.
As a bonus, they have secured Pennsylvania’s Deputy Secretary Sheila Ireland as keynote speaker.
If representatives from your organization will be attending the symposium, please complete the short survey below.
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Paycheck Protection Program Filing Extension
Congress passed an extension of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) that allows small businesses and eligible non-profits to apply for PPP loans through May 31st. The program was to expire the end of March.
Click here to learn more about the Paycheck Protection Program.
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SBA Paycheck Protection Program Resources
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP):
1. Find a lender:
2. Identify a loan:
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First Draw PPP Loans: If you have not received a PPP loan before, First Draw PPP Loans are available to you.
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Second Draw PPP Loans: If you have previously received a PPP loan, certain businesses are eligible for a Second Draw PPP Loan.
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Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC):
Step by Step instructions with a CPA
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Member Restaurant Information
We are are providing the following to make it easier to support local restaurants. Click the restaurant name to view their menu. Those in bold are offering curbside pickup.
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Support Local
Click the graphic for the latest restaurant information.
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Looking for more ways to promote your business?
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U.S. Chamber Pandemic Relief Resources:
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Pandemic Webinar Recordings - You can view the Chamber’s webinars explaining the new pandemic relief bills from late December and early January. They've uploaded the recording from this week here, plus the accompanying slides here, and you can find the recording from our December discussion here.
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Resources from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce
The U.S. Chamber continues to create, update, and evolve its various guides and resources.
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Free Re-opening Signage
As Pennsylvania businesses begin to reopen, each business owner will need to examine their operations and make changes to meet public safety guidelines. PASBDC has created signage to address common health concerns. All images are completely free to use, so please share, download, print and distribute as you wish!
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Business Resources
Monitor public health indicators, adjust orders and restrictions as necessary
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Office Hours
Following the Governor's guidance, staff is once again working remotely and only going to the office as necessary. If you need to reach us, please call 814-643-1110 and leave a message for us or email [email protected] or [email protected]
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Huntingdon County Strong:
Business and Community Resources
Click graphic below.
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Quick Connect Coaching Sessions
Weekly, Tuesdays at 8:30 am
Looking for a quick answer to a question related to disaster recovery, reopening, stabilizing, or projecting for growth? Then attend a "Quick Connect" session to get your questions answered. Each week a consultant will address answers related to a specific topic.
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Contact Us
Yvonne Martin
President/ CEO
MacKenzie Huntsman
Program Director
Phone: 814-643-1110
Fax: 814-643-1115
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Looking to start an endowment or to support community efforts? Click the logo above to learn more about the Huntingdon County Foundation. |
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