Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Business Resources & Updates

Coronavirus RESOURCES IN OTHER LANGUAGES

• Recursos en español

  Hola Alice, "Business for All" Subvencion para Empresarios Hispanos
  Hello Alice ha designado una parte de sus subvenciones de emergencia de $ 10,000 exclusivamente para propietarios de negocios hispanos. La financiación se esta distribuyéndo de inmediato a los fundadores afectados por el coronavirus como parte de nuestra misión más amplia para garantizar Business for All (Negocios para Todos). Todos los solicitantes recibirán acceso a recursos y apoyo continuo de la comunidad Hello Alice. Se ofrece apoyo con la aplicación en español.
  
  ¿Qué debes saber sobre el coronavirus (COVID-19)?
  (La mención: University of Missouri Extension)

  Asistencia de Desastre de la SBA en Respuesta al Coronavirus
  (La mención: SBA)

  La Agencia Federal de Pequeños Negocios (SBA, por sus siglas en inglés) les ofrece a ciertos estados y territorios designados préstamos federales de desastre de bajos intereses para usar como capital de trabajo a los pequeños negocios que sufren daños económicos sustanciales como resultado del Coronavirus (también llamado COVID-19). 

  #ActivoKC
  (Source: Hispanic Chamber)
  Un espacio en español donde podrás enterarte sobre lo que sucede con el COVID-19 en nuestra comunidad. Únete a la conversación.

  STLJuntos
  Colaborando con otros grupos, individuos y organizaciones en un esfuerzo por proporcionar la información más reciente necesaria para la comunidad en español.
  
  Las mejores formas para que los latinos hagan crecer sus negocios
  (Source: Bankrate)
  En un esfuerzo para ayudar a las empresas latinas a recuperarse, Bankrate compiló las mejores formas para que los latinos hagan crecer sus negocios y superen la brecha de financiación.  Cerca del final del artículo hay una lista de cooperativas de crédito (Credit Unions) latinas y opciones de subvenciones para minorías.

• Resources in Other Languages

  Language Access Information for Local Hotlines (IISTL)

  • St. Louis City Hotline – 314-657-1499

    • Open between 8 am to 10 pm

    • Ask for interpreter

  • St. Louis County Hotline – 314-614-2660

    • Press 2

    • Wait

    • Ask for Interpreter

  • Mercy Hotline for Testing – 314-251-0500

    • Press 2

    • Ask for an interpreter

  • Missouri Hotline – 877-435-8411

    • Press 1

    • Wait

    • Ask for Interpreter

  STL Bosnians Inc. — website and Facebook page have translated government and health documents 

  RukaNade —  Bosnian aide group, Facebook page in the process of translating documents for posting in the near future
  
  WhatsApp messaging groups — Abu Bakr Al Siddiq (Farsi), Dar-Al Jalal (Arabic)
  
  St. Louis Vietnamese Community — government publications about COVID-19 translated into Vietnamese and posted on FB
  
  OCA -Asian Pacific Advocate — questions through the website and social media then referrals to groups that can best help
  
  International Institute of STL —  staff members who speak Arabic, Farsi, Kinyarwanda (Rwanda), Nepali, Pashto, Swahili and Spanish
  
  IISTL— CDC fighting germs in 20 languages (Amharic, Arabic, Bosnian, Burmese, Chinese, Dari, Farsi, Kinyarwanda, Korean, Nepali, Pashto, Portuguese, Russian, Somali, Spanish, Swahili, Tigrinya, Ukrainian, Vietnamese); COVID-19 fact sheet in 4 languages (Amharic, Somali, Spanish, Vietnamese); audio messages in 7 languages
  
  State of Missouri website has COVID-19 fact sheets in 15 languages (Amharic, Arabic, Chinese Simplified, Chinese Traditional, English, Hindi, Japanese, Khmer, Korean, Russion, Somali, Spanish, Tagalog, Thai, Vietnamese) 

Coronavirus HELP FOR YOU

• Find the Right Funding for Your Business

  We're here to help you determine if you are ready to apply for financial assistance and which program(s) (local, state or federal) might be the best fit.
  
  Tell us more about your business and what you need.

  Help my business
  find funding

   

• Free Remote Mentoring and Business Coaching

  SBDCs (Small Business Development Centers) are located throughout the state and offer no-cost one-on-one confidential consulting for businesses. Their consulting services include but are not limited to the following:

  • Up-to-date COVID-19 SBA disaster information for small businesses

  • Cash flow analysis

  • Local, state, and federal resource information

  • Long-term strategic planning

  • Executive coaching from certified coaches to help during these stressful times

  Sign up to find a business consultant near you:

  • in Missouri

  • in Kansas

  SCORE mentors offer free, personalized assistance to help you and your business address and adapt to the current crisis. Find a mentor.

   

• Policy Tracker

  COVID-19 Policy Tracker
  (Source: MultiState)
  This page contains all of MultiState's resources on the state and local government response to COVID-19/coronavirus, including dashboard, maps, and other resources for tracking how states and localities are responding to the crisis.

  Senate passes $2 trillion aid package, on to House
  (Source: SSTI)
  The legislation includes additional emergency loans and tax credits for retaining employees, as well as near-term aid for individuals, small businesses, and some of the most affected industries.

  What Employers Need to Know: Families First Coronavirus Response Act
  Enacted on March 18, 2020, Families First Coronavirus Response Act (H.R. 6201) guarantees free coronavirus testing, establishes paid leave, enhances unemployment insurance, expands food security initiatives and increases federal Medicaid funding. Here’s detailed information on H.R. 6201.

  • Fact Sheet for Employees

  • Fact Sheet for Employers 

  • Questions and Answers

   

Coronavirus SELF-CARE

• Self-Care and Stress Management

  9 Ways to Build Bonds (Even in Times of Crisis)
  (Source: Stanford Medicine)
  Many of us are facing unprecedented circumstances with the advent of the coronavirus pandemic, and suddenly find ourselves in isolation from coworkers, friends, and loved ones. Social connectedness generates a positive feedback loop of social, emotional and physical well-being. Here’s how to (re)connect.

  How Can Entrepreneurs Take Care of Their Mental Health during the Coronavirus?
  (Source: SCORE)
  COVID-19 is dramatically shifting the routines of small business owners. What’s happens to our health, physical and mental, during this unprecedented crisis? Read more

  Stress and Coping
  (Source: CDC)
  Everyone reacts differently to stressful situations. Coping with stress will make you, the people you care about, and your community stronger.

  Don’t Let Uncertainty Paralyze You 
  (Source: Harvard Business Review)
  How to get past the crippling anxiety, even when things seem hopeless.

   

• Work-Life Balance during COVID-19

  How to Transition Between Work Time and Personal Time
  (Source: Harvard Business Review)
  Here are some of the ways to be less distracted and more present whether you’re working or enjoying personal time.

   

Coronavirus HOW TO HELP

• Donate

  • Donate to the GoFundMe Small Business Relief Fund

  • Donate to the Opportunity Fund’s Small Business Relief Fund.

  • Donate to the Food and Beverage Industry Relief Fund.

  • Donate to the Restaurant Employee Relief Fund.

   

  • Donate to the GKC Community Foundation.

  • Donate to IAKC COVID-19 medical relief fund.

  • Donate to the Kansas City Fed Employer Laptop Challenge

  • Donate to  AltCap’s COVID Kansas City Relief Fund

  • Donate to Chef Collective KC’s Community Meals Project

  • Donate to Charlotte Street Foundation’s Rocket Relief Fund

  • Donate to LEANLAB’s effort to provide needed technology to students

   

• What's Needed

  • Manufacturers Missouri Manufacturers Needed: Masks and Gowns

  • St. Louis Manufacturers Needed: Healthcare and Critical Infrastructure 

  Manufacturing Critical Supplies for COVID-19
  As part of the Life Science Emergency Supply Hub, BioKansas and Kansas Manufacturing Solutions are partnering to assess the capabilities of area manufacturers to produce critical supplies related to the Kansas COVID-19 response. Participate by visiting the COVID19 Manufacturing page on the BioKansas website and clicking on the “share manufacturing capabilities” image.  

  KC COVID-19 Help Site: Get Help, Give Help
  There are many people especially in the disadvantage area who don't have some of the basic necessities. Shekhar Gupta developed a website to anonymously match seekers with donors.

  How to Help: FEMA Offers Ways for Private Sector to Help Fight COVID-19
  (Source: FEMA)
  The outpouring of support from the private sector to provide medical supplies and equipment has been tremendous. To help match the many offers of assistance to the right place, at the right time, and in the right quantity, FEMA offers ways to sell, donate and volunteer.

  Missouri Enterprise's COVID-19 Manufacturing Network
  (Source: Missouri Enterprise)
  Interested in helping produce PPEs or other medical products? Join Missouri Enterprise’s network and start connecting with other Missouri manufacturers to help one another fill the PPE supply chain gap. Ready to make and sell PPEs now to the medical community? Add your information to the state’s PPE marketplace.

• What's Happening

  Corporate Aid Tracker
  (Source: U.S. Chamber of Commerce)
  The business community is mobilizing its expertise, capabilities, and community resources to assist with the relief and containment efforts. View (or submit your information to) the U.S. Chamber’s corporate aid tracker for details on how businesses of all sizes and sectors are stepping up to combat the coronavirus. Corporate donations, both cash and in-kind, to support medical professionals and nonprofits currently exceed $418 million.
  

  Missouri startups and innovation centers help lead the fight against COVID-19
  (Source: NextMissouri)
  Missouri startups and entrepreneurial support organizations have been responding rapidly to the COVID-19 pandemic. Please let us know of startups to add to this list and how you have been helping entrepreneurs respond to COVID-19.

   

   

• How Communities Can Help

  Set Up a Community Fund
  Here’s how the Community Foundation of the Ozarks set up its COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund.

  How Local Leaders Can Help
  (Source: Brookings)
  This brief guides community leaders through the economic and policy uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 small business crisis by offering insights in three areas:

  • What is the scale of the problem, by estimating the number of businesses that are at risk of closure in the immediate and near term, both nationwide and in counties, metro areas, and states.

  • What is the scale of the federal relief, by reviewing the small business provisions embedded in the CARES Act.

  • What local policymakers should do now, by outlining how small business support providers can provide awareness, technical assistance, and immediate liquidity for small businesses.

   

• Crowdsourcing

  Fighting COVID-19 with 3D Printing
  (Source: America Makes)
  America Makes has joined forces with the FDA, NIH, and VA to be the bridge connecting the needs of health care providers with manufacturers capable of 3D printing much needed supplies.

  COVID-19 Global Hackathon
  (Source: DevPost)
  The COVID-19 Global Hackathon is an opportunity for developers to build software solutions that drive social impact, with the aim of tackling some of the challenges related to the current coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

  Unite and Fight: COVID-19 National Response Team
  (Source: Afwerx and Department of Defense)
  The Department of the Defense has established the Joint Acquisition Task Force (JATF) for COVID-19 initiative to assess and rapidly respond to challenges presented by this pandemic. 

   

• Shop Local Safely

  Shop Local Pages

  • Curbside KC
  • North Kansas City
  • Strawberry Swing’s online Maker’s Marketplace

  
  

  Shop local online. Support local ecommerce by buying local online. Get a gift certificate from your favorite restaurants, entertainment, shops, etc.,to use later and help local businesses’ cash flow now. And hey, nobody said you can shop for the holidays right now: get a jump start on your holiday gifts. Check out our KC-based ecommerce businesses. 

  Join a Kansas CIty- Area CSA. The Kansas City area has a large network of CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) networks, which typically offer seasonal subscriptions from a farm, food provider or partnerships composed of several small providers. Here’s a guide to CSAs that operate within a 125-mile radius of Kansas City.
  

  Gift Card Challenge!
  (South KC Chamber)
  While we can't get out right now and support our businesses in person, we can buy a gift card to provide restaurants or shops with some immediate cash flow to weather crisis. Buy a gift card and then challenge your friends to do the same. 

  Offer Gift Certificates
  (Source: Kabbage)
  Kabbage launched an online hub to help boost sales for U.S small businesses impacted by COVID-19, including a system through which businesses can sell gift cards to consumers for use at a later date.

  List Your Gift Certificates
  (Offered by PopBookings)
  PopBookings is putting together a program of COVID-19 gift card assistance for local small businesses. To make the biggest impact, it needs more businesses to be listed! It is 100% free for businesses to list a gift card on the marketplace. Local Businesses can submit their listing info for free here: https://www.popbookings.com/gift-card-listing/

  How to support our local food and drink industry through COVID-19
  (Source: The PItch KC)

  Social Graphics
  (Source: Main Street America)
  Main Street America has created a set of social graphics highlighting ways your local community can continue to engage and support your Main Street businesses. Please download Instagram - single image or slide show, Facebook, and Twitter graphics and share widely on your social accounts to spread the word on how to continue supporting local! Please use #SupportLocalSafely when posting.

Coronavirus REOPEN, RETURN AND RECOVERY

• Guides to Reopening

  As businesses prepare to reopen, cities, counties and states have published guidelines for responsible re-entry to the workplace.
  
  Federal
  Opening Up America Again
  
  States
  Kansas: Ad Astra, A Plan to Reopen Kansas
  Missouri: Show Me Strong Recovery Plan
  
  Cities and Counties
  Kansas City, Missouri: #SafeReturnKC 
  

  Temporary Outdoor Seating Program
  

  Clay County: Community Recovery Plan
  Eastern Jackson County Recovery Plan Phase 1
  Johnson County, Kansas: Reopening Johnson County
  Platte County Reopen Guide
  Wyandotte County: ReStartWyCo
  
  Return to Work Guide
  (Source: Missouri Chamber of Commerce)
  Based on the best practices, the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry is providing the following guidelines and suggestions to assist businesses in their efforts to create safe workplaces for their employees and customers.
  
  Re-Entry for Retailers: Returning to the Store
  (Source: Gensler)
  Here are a few considerations we recommend when rethinking how to best modify — or in some cases retool — your retail spaces to accommodate these new consumer expectations.
  
  COVID-19 Facility Reopening Guide
  (Source: ServiceMaster)
  This Facility Reopening Guide provides recommendations based on guidance and regulations from health organizations such as the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), World Health Organization (WHO), Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) of 1970 and state health departments on preparing commercial facilities and businesses for the return to standard business operations.
  
  Restaurant Reopening Best Practices Around COVID-19
  National-Restaurant-Assocation-COVID19-Safe-Operating-Guidance
  Free Food, Safety and Career Development Training and Resources offered by ServSafe
  Food and Drug Administration guidelines providing best practices for the food retail, restaurant and pick-up and delivery during COVID -19.
  Food and Drug Administration Infographic summarizing best practices for the food retail, restaurant and pick-up and delivery during COVID-19.
  Communicating During A Crisis: How to Protect Our Brand presented by the Division of Applied Social Sciences, University of Missouri
  
  Child Care Facilities Reopening Guide
  (Source: Aligned)
  Preparedness and Planning for Child Care Programs: Program operating in the time of COVID-19 is a 25-page guide that provides details on personal protective equipment, managing sick children and employees, guidelines for social distancing, ideal group sizes, cleaning, hygiene, and pick-up/drop-off procedures.
  
  Does Your Business Need a “Reopening Warranty”?
  Assumption of the Risk and Waiver of Liability Relating to Coronavirus/COVID-19
  (Source: NKCBC and Cowell James Forge Insurance Group)
  As you bring back your employees and allow the public back in your place of business, the attached COVID-19 Warranty, might prove helpful. Check with your attorney for any legal questions.
  
  Resources for Event Creators
  (Source: Eventbrite)
  Whether you have an event coming up or you’re trying to decide whether to schedule one later this year, we've designed resources, including information, articles, suggestions, and support for decision-making. We acknowledge the increased need for flexibility in times of uncertainty, and if the best decision for your event is to turn it virtual, or postpone for a few months from now, we’re here to help.

• Returning to the Workplace

  Tools for Reopening
  (Soure: US Chamber of Commerce)
  The U.S. Chamber launched new tools to help employers reopen their businesses safely and sustainably, while keeping their employees and customers healthy and informed amid the coronavirus pandemic.
  
  Resources include:

  Employee Screening Questionnaire:
  The new six-question sample questionnaire represents a consolidation of questions required or recommended by states’ employee screening guidance, as well as input from member companies of all sizes and sectors participating in the Chamber’s Return to Work Task Force. It includes questions to ask employees when they initially return to work, as well as questions to ask employees weekly and daily.

  Compilation of Industry-Specific Guides:
  The pandemic has affected different industries differently — likewise, the reopening process will vary by sector. Here are sector-specific guidance from some of the leading industry associations and government sources:

  • For restaurants: National-Restaurant-Assocation-COVID19-Safe-Operating-Guidance 

  • For retailers: National Retail Federation’s Operation Open Doors

  • For home service providers: AIHA’s Reopening Guidance for At-Home Service Providers 

  • For construction businesses: AIHA’s Reopening Guidance for Construction Environments 

  • For gyms and fitness facilities: AIHA’s Reopening Guidance for Gyms and Workout Facilities

  • For office-based businesses: AIHA’s Reopening Guidance for General Office Settings 

  • For hair and nail salons: AIHA’s Reopening Guidance for Hair and Nail Salons

  What Happens When We Return to the Workplace?
  (Source: Gensler)
  Before we can ask people to return to the office, we’ve got to make sure they feel safe, healthy, and valued in their workplace. And, while it’s too early to understand the full extent of the new skills and habits we’re developing while working en masse from home, it’s not too early to start planning for how we can return hundreds of thousands of people to the workplace once the quarantines end.
  
  

  Preparing the Workplace for Re-entry
  (Source: U.S. Chamber of Commerce)
  The coronavirus has caused problems for many small businesses across the U.S. Here are some best practices you can follow to manage the situation for your employees and customers.
  
  SAFER: Safe Actions for Employee Returns
  (Source: National Safety Council)
  This comprehensive initiative guides employers through the process of safely resuming traditional work and operations now and in a post-quarantine environment. 

  Missouri Chamber Uniting for Recovery and Return to Work Guide
  As part of Uniting For Recovery Economic Response Agenda, the Missouri Chamber is providing this free Return-to-Work guide based on best practices to assist businesses in their efforts to create safe workplaces for their employees and customers.

   

• Recovery and the Next Normal

  What to Stop, Start, and Accelerate
  (Source: McKinsey & Company)
  As businesses step into the post-coronavirus future, they need to find a balance between what worked before and what needs to happen to succeed in the next normal.

  Beyond Coronavirus: The Path to the Next Normal
  (Source: McKinsey & Company)
  The coronavirus is not only a health crisis of immense proportion—it’s also an imminent restructuring of the global economic order. Here’s how leaders can begin navigating to what’s next.

  Rebuilding Better
  (Source: Start Us Up Coalition)
  To respond to this crisis and help rebuild the economy, Start Us Up American unveiled Start Us Up’s COVID-19 Response Plan, which includes policies that come from the broader framework in America’s New Business Plan but are specific to what entrepreneurs need most today. The goal is not just to restore the economy but to rebuild better by ensuring all Americans, especially women, minorities and rural entrepreneurs who have historically been marginalized by investors and lenders, can turn their ideas into businesses.
  

  From Surviving to Thriving: Reimagining the Post-COVID-19 Return
  (Source: McKinsey & Company)
  For many, the toughest leadership test is now looming: how to bring a business back in an environment where a vaccine has yet to be found and economies are still reeling.

  Capitalising on Three Positive Outcomes of the Pandemic
  (Source: University of South Australia)
  For those who have used this time effectively, the “new normal” will be different – possibly even better than the pre-pandemic “normal”. Dr. Jana outlines three positive outcomes of the pandemic.

  Recovery Solutions for Missouri Manufacturers
  (Source: Missouri Enterprise)
  With a specific focus on helping manufacturers transition through this pandemic, Missouri Enterprise created the Covid-19 Response Team. For our experts to respond to your needs, we recommend you first take our brief Covid-19 Readiness Recovery Assessment, which will provide you with valuable feedback on  where your company’s recovery strengths and weaknesses are in the categories of strategy, communications, people, and processes.

• Help For You

  Covid-19 Reopening Products & Services Directory 

  (Source: Missouri Enterprise)

  This directory features items produced here in Missouri (or in the USA) for employers to purchase to protect their workers on the job. These would be non-medical grade products not intended for hospital use. Many, if not most, of these companies are those who are stepping up to meet the greater PPE supply chain need with their new business ventures.

  
  

  Add Your Company to the Covid-19 Reopening Products & Services Directory
  (Source: Missouri Enterprise)
  Is your company or a company you know of making products to help protect employees in the workplace? Tell us about it and add it to the directory. This is a FREE service from our MEP Center to help support and sustain manufacturing in Missouri.
  

• Templates

  SAFE Retail Toolkit
  (Source: Target)
  This retail guide, developed by Target, is a great resource for retailers, complete with templates to edit and print out for your retail locations.

   

Coronavirus EMPLOYEES

• Employee Communications

  Use Google to Communicate with Your Employees
  (Source: Google)
  These Google links can help you manage your employee communications:

  • Store contact information for your employees, vendors and clients online so it’s accessible from any device.
  • Make a business continuity plan, and share it with employees via an email address they can access outside of the office.

   

• Employee Policies and Workforce Concerns

  Interim Guidance for Businesses and Employers
  (Source: CDC)
  Plan, prepare and respond to coronavirus (COVID-19) with this guide on what is currently known about the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and includes recommended strategies for sick employees, environmental cleaning, travel and general communications. The CDC has indicated that it will update this interim guidance as needed and as additional information becomes available. 

  Fair Labor Standards Act FAQs
  (Source: U.S. Department of Labor)
  Have questions around volunteers, wages, employees under government-imposed quarantine, telework (and if you can require it)? Here are Q&As around fair labor standards during a pandemic.

  Options for Employers When Employees Cannot Work from Home
  (Source: Polsinelli)
  Despite many politicians and employers discussing the option for employees to work at home, there are millions of employees who simply cannot do that. This is where a work furlough comes into play. 

   

• Employee and Workplace Wellness

  Wellness Webinar
  (Source: Missouri Enterprise, in partnership with AIM)
  Often, when we think of an organization’s health, financial outlook statements and viability often come to mind. It’s less likely we consider how the organization supports employee health. As we face a global health crisis, it is more important than ever to create a culture of wellness that encourages and promotes the well-being of your employees.

   

   

• Employee Paid Leave

  The Families First Coronavirus Response Act 
  The new law contains two main provisions, the emergency paid sick leave act and the emergency family medical leave act. Each apply to any employer with fewer than 500 employees. 

  • Fact Sheet for Employers

  • Fact Sheet for Employees

  • Questions and Answers Document

  Generally, the law provides:

  • Up to 12 weeks of job-protected leave, paid at two-thirds their regular rate, if the employee has to take care of a child whose school or daycare is closed.

  • If the employee contracts COVID-19 or is experiencing symptoms associated with the disease, she or he will qualify for 80 hours of emergency sick leave paid at 100% of their normal rate. 

  • After the two weeks, they qualify for another 10 weeks of paid leave at two-thirds their normal rate.

  Exemptions from FFCRA Paid Leave Law
  (Source: HR Dive)

  HR Dive outlines exemptions to the FFCRA Paid Leave Law for employers and small businesses with fewer than 50 employees as well as criteria around DOL’s temporary non-enforcement of the FFCRA (until April 17) for employers who act "reasonably" and "in good faith."

  COVID-19 and Family and Medical Leave Act: Q&A
  (Source: U.S. Department of Labor)

  If you or your employees are out with the flu or are caring for ill family members, check with the Department of Labor (DOL) for information on whether such leave is covered under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Under the FMLA, covered employers must provide employees job-protected, unpaid leave for specified family and medical reasons, which may include the flu where complications arise.  Employees on FMLA leave are entitled to the continuation of group health insurance coverage under the same terms as existed before they took FMLA leave.

  Paid Leave for Workers and Tax Credits for Small Business
  (Source: IRS)

  Small and midsize employers can begin taking advantage of two new refundable payroll tax credits, designed to immediately and fully reimburse them, dollar-for-dollar, for the cost of providing Coronavirus-related leave to their employees.

   

   

• Employment, Unemployment and Alternatives (for Employers)

  Looking for Employees?

  If you’re an industry that needs to ramp up your workforce, consider listing your opportunities with these local hiring sites. 

  • TeamKC

  • Missouri One Start

  Unemployment for Self-Employed, Gig Workers and Independent Contractors
  Missouri and Kansas are also starting to provide funding for pandemic unemployment assistance (unemployment for sole props, independent contractors, etc.).

  • Kansas

  • Missouri

  Missouri Encourages Self-Employed, Gig Workers to Apply for Unemployment
  (Missouri Department of Labor)
  Self-employed, gig workers and independent contractors whose businesses have been impacted by the coronavirus are encouraged to apply for unemployment assistance. Under the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program, those who qualify will be eligible for weekly benefit payments of between $133 and $320 per week plus a $600 federal supplement available under the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) program. File claims online at uinteract.labor.mo.gov.

  Employee Transition Team
  (Source: Missouri Office of Workforce Development)

  Managing staffing reductions and layoffs can be a grueling experience. The Employment Transition Team (ETT) is available at no cost to businesses and affected workers to help:

  • Conduct employee assistance meetings

  • Provide Trade Act and other training program information

  • Present Unemployment Insurance information

  • Connect employees with current job openings

  • Assist with employer layoff obligations

  
  

  COVID-19 FAQs for Businesses and Workers
  (Source: Missouri Department of Labor)

  Unemployment, workers compensation and discrimination—here’s the go-to for workforce issues and concerns during the coronavirus outbreak. 

  Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification
  (Source: Missouri Office of Workforce Development)

  This resource provides protection to workers, their families, and communities by requiring employers to provide a 60-calendar day notice in advance of covered plant closings and mass layoffs

  Shared Work Programs
  Shared Work programs allow employers to divide the available work among a specified group of affected employees instead of laying off workers. These employees receive a portion of their unemployment benefits while working reduced hours. 

  • Shared Work in Kansas 

  • Shared Work in Missouri

  You may be able to use Shared Work in conjunction with the Payment Protection Program as long as your shared work program does not reduce salary and wages for any employee making up to $100,000 by more than 25%, but as of April 11, 2020, this has not been finalized.
  
  Unemployment Mass Claim
  (Source: Missouri Department of Labor)

  • If your company will be forced to lay off employees, the Kansas and Missouri Departments of Labor has a link to information on how companies can file applications for unemployment benefits on behalf of employees whose jobs are affected by COVID-19.Kansas Unemployment Mass Claim

  • Missouri Unemployment Mass Claim

  Missouri also has instructions on how to file paperwork for the mass layoff of employees and a and spreadsheet template for information about affected employees. If the employer reports a recall date for temporary layoffs, employees can receive a waiver from the requirement to search for work.

   

• Payroll Tax Credits (also see Tax Relief)

  Employee Retention Tax Credit
  (Source: IRS and Kansas SBDC)
  Employee Retention Tax Credits could pay for 50% of your payroll for the rest of 2020 if:

  • you can afford to still pay at least 50% of your payroll for the near future

  • your business has suffered a significant loss due to COVID-19 (defined as a quarter being 50% less than the same quarter last year)

  • you think that the economic injury might continue (the tax credit only lasts until a subsequent quarter hits 80% of the same quarter last year, or Jan. 1, 2021)

  Compare that to the Paycheck Protection Program, which offers a forgivable loan equal to 8 weeks of payroll and a small portion of non-payroll expenses. 

  Work with your accountant and run the numbers. While you can do the EIDL and PPP (as long as they’re for different expenses), you can’t do the Employee Retention Tax Credit and the PPP, so find out which one is best for your business. 

  All You Wanted To Know about Maximizing Your Tax Credits through the CARES Act
  (Source: Markowitz Accounting)
  The ERTC is the gift that could potentially keep on giving, quarter after quarter for the rest of the year.

  All You Wanted to Know about the Employee Retention Tax Credit
  (Source: Markowitz Accounting)
  Assuming you have under 100 employees, the ERTC is a credit of 50% of all qualified wages in a given quarter.

   

Coronavirus DOING BUSINESS ONLINE

• Templates and Shareables

  “What We’re Doing to Keep You Safe” Poster
  (Source: CDC and Blue Springs Chamber of Commerce)
  Created by Blue Springs Chamber of Commerce, this poster is an example of how you can communicate with your customers. Feel free to adapt it and use it forward. 

  Customizable Workplace Flyer
  (Source: U.S. Chamber of Commerce)
  Open this file in the latest version of Chrome or Edge browser, or Adobe software, to customize.

  Coronavirus Response Toolkit
  (Source: U.S. Chamber of Commerce)
  Find shareable graphics based on the CDC’s latest guidance for businesses and employees. We encourage you to share these assets on social media, websites, and other channels, and send them to your colleagues and employees. 

  Facebook for Business Tips and Resources
  (Source: Facebook)
  Facebook is taking its own preventative measures to safeguard information around the coronavirus and provides tips on  how your business can best stay in touch with your customers, keep them connected and prepare a customer service plan..  
  

   

• Customer Communications

  Step one: make sure you are. Communicate your office hours and have those may have changed, and let folks know the precautions you’re taking--and that you expect them to take--to protect themselves and your employees. 

  Update Your “Google My Business”
  (Source: Google)
  Update: In light of the current COVID situation, Google says that it is sending support staff home. As a result, there will be some limitations and delays in support for Google My Business.

  Let your customers/clients know your business hours, make sure your phone number is correct and post a bit about your business and how you’re helping folks navigate the outbreak. And if you aren’t fully repped online, now is the definitely the time. 

  • If your hours of operation have changed, edit your Business Profile on Google.

  • Use Posts to communicate information directly on your Business Profile on Google, like special offers or inventory updates.

  • Consider setting an email auto-reply with answers to frequently asked questions.

  More Resources from Google
  (Source: Google)
  Here are more tips and recommendations from Google to help you navigate this for your employees and customers.

  Coronavirus Response Toolkit
  (Source: U.S. Chamber of Commerce)
  Find sharable graphics based on the CDC’s latest guidance for businesses and employees. We encourage you to share these assets on social media, websites, and other channels, and send them to your colleagues and employees. 
  

  5 Tech Tools for Customer Communication
  (Source: U.S. Chamber of Commerce)
  Business owners are exploring new ways to engage with customers in the wake of COVID-19. Here are some popular tech tools that aid in these communications.
  

  A Consumer Psychologist Details What Businesses Need to Know During COVID-19
  (Source: U.S. Chamber of Commerce)
  Kit Yarrow, who’s counted brands from GE to Westfield malls among her clients, discusses the nation’s psyche during crises, and what’s critical to reaching consumers navigating the pandemic today.

  Staying Connected with Customers through the Coronavirus Outbreak
  Your customers may be on self-quarantine, but that doesn't mean you can't stay connected and continue providing excellent service.

  Communicating through the Coronavirus Crisis
  (Harvard Business Review)
  HBR has created a step-by-step guide through crisis communications. 

  Responding To Coronavirus: A Playbook For Marketing And Communications
  (Source: Forrester)
  What role should marketing and communications leaders play in the development of a response? What are the most critical actions to take now? Here’s the playbook.

   

   

• Marketing

  Update Your “Google My Business”
  (Source: Google)
  UPDATE: In light of the current COVID situation, Google says that it is sending support staff home. As a result, there will be some limitations and delays in support for Google My Business.

  Let your customers/clients know your business hours, make sure your phone number is correct and post a bit about your business and how you’re helping folks navigate the outbreak. And if you aren’t fully repped online, now is definitely the time. 
  
  Free Videos 
  (Source: Spectrum and Waymark)
  Spectrum Reach has partnered with Waymark to offer free videos that you can make on your own. Click on a video to edit it for your business. Use code REACH at checkout to download for FREE.
  

  Brand Marketing through the Coronavirus Crisis
  (Source: Harvard Business Review)
  With so much changing so fast during this difficult time, what actions can brands take to serve and grow their customer base, mitigate risk and take care of their people?

  COVID-19: Ad credits for Google Ads Small and Medium-sized Businesses
  (Source: Google)
  Google is giving SMBs worldwide $340 million in ad credits, which can be used at any point until the end of 2020 across Google Ads platforms. SMBs who have been active advertisers since the beginning of 2019 will see a credit notification appear in their Google Ads account in the coming months. Here’s more on how Google is supporting small business during the COVID-19 crisis. 
  

  Marketing to Quarantined Crowds
  (Source: America’s SBDC Alabama)
  How do we market to our customers when we are also trying to adhere to social distancing restrictions? Before you begin marketing to your customers - it is imperative to let them know what you’re doing to support their health, safety, and well-being.
  

  Why Your Business Needs to Be Online
  The COVID-19 crisis is driving the global growth of eCommerce sales, with millions of consumers worldwide in quarantine shopping for goods, services and entertainment online. Transaction volumes in most retail sectors have seen a 74% rise in March compared to the same period last year, while online gaming has seen a staggering increase of 97%.
  

  MOFoodFinder 
  (Source: University of Missouri Extension)
  Farmers, growers and local suppliers can map their local food business by entering basic information about the food they sell, location and contact information. Customers can find local food sources using the map and search tools below.

  How to Tell Your Story on LinkedIn 
  (Source: Harvard Business Review)
  Know your audience and connect the dots for them.

   

   

• Remote Work, Work from Home and Workplace Policies

  Google’s Remote Work Resources 
  (Source: Google)
  Prepare to effectively work from home with these tools and resources from Grow with Google.

  • Collaborate using a shared document, a quick conference call, or by creating an email list or a chat room.
  • Access important documents from anywhere by uploading them to the Cloud through a product like Google Drive or downloading to your mobile phone or computer for offline access.

  Remote Work Resources
  (Source: Upwork)
  As the world adapts to working remotely, Upwork shares what it’s learned in its work in helping companies implement effective remote work strategies, including:

  • How to Build a Remote Workforce
  • Managing a Remote Team Effectively
  • Creating a Remote Strategy for the Long Haul
  • How to Set Up and Manage a Remote IT Infrastructure
  • Remote Yet Close: How to Maintain Company Culture During COVID-19
  • 10 Ways to Manage Your Freelance Business During Times of Crisis
  • How to Pitch to Clients During a Crisis
  • Trending Talent and the Fastest Way to Find It [Templates]

  Top Tech Tools to Keep Your Team Connected
  (Source: U.S. Chamber of Commerce)
  If your business is now managing a full-time remote workforce for the first time, here are a few tech tools that will help your quarantined team stay connected.

  Build Your Team’s Resilience — From Home 
  (Source: Harvard Business Review)
  It comes down to two things: people and perspective

  Leading Virtual Meetings
  (Source: DDI)
  Not able to meet with your team in person? This free microcourse from DDI is designed to assist you in leading more effective virtual meetings.
  
  A Blueprint for Remote Working: Lessons from China
  (Source: McKinsey Digital)
  As home to some of the world’s largest firms, China offers lessons for those that are just now starting to embrace the shift to remote working.

  An Exec’s Field Guide to Remote Work 
  (Source: FirstRound)
  Maggie Leung built out the 80-person fully remote content team that's helped NerdWallet stand out. Here are her tips for executives who are now tasked with leading large teams working remotely for the first time.

  How to Keep Your Team Motivated, Remotely
  (Source: Harvard Business Review)
  Many leaders have taken the first step toward creating an effective work environment for remote employees. The next critical question we must ask is: How do you motivate people who work from home?

  Adapting Workplace Learning
  (Source: McKinsey Accelerate)
  Managers can’t push the pause button on capability building, so the moment belongs to virtual learning. Some tactics and strategies can help.

  3 Tips to Avoid WFH Burnout
  (Source: Harvard Business Review)
  Millions around the globe have made a sudden transition to remote work amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Not surprisingly, this has some employers concerned about maintaining employee productivity. But what they really should be concerned about in this unprecedented situation is a longer-term risk: employee burnout.

  Security Tips for Remote Workers
  (Source: National Cyber Security Alliance)
  As more employees work from home, basic security measures need to be taken to protect the individual and enterprise from cyber criminals who are taking advantage of lax telework security practices. Check out NCSA’s tips for staying safe online when working remotely.

  The Remote Company Checklist: Strategies for Effective Remote Team Management
  (Source: bitovi and our network’s own Jennifer Wadella!)
  Workers can only be as successful as their environment allows. Use this checklist to set up your business and your processes for remote work.

  Remote Work Policy Template 
  (Source: Overland Park Chamber of Commerce)
  Even better than tips? A template. Your employees are likely headed home to work. Use this template to help inform your plan. 

  The Necessities of Policies, SOPs and Job Descriptions
  (Source: Employment Law Handbook)
  Operating a business without policies, SOPs, and job descriptions is like attempting to play a new board game without reading the rule book first, leading to confusion, conflict, and blame. 

  KCBJ Series: Working from Home
  (Source: Kansas City Business Journal)
  KCBJ has published several articles on how overcome the challenges of working from home for both employers and employees:

  • More companies are encouraging (or even requiring) people to work from home. That could cause unexpected problems. Read more here.
  • Be mindful of technology, legal and cybersecurity issues when it comes to having your staff work from home. Read more here.
  • Both employers and employees have a difficult balancing act ahead: working remotely while also caring for children who are home from school. Read more here.
  • Staff engagement and performance measurement can become more challenging at times of increased remote work. Read more here.
  • Here's how industries that can't telework are confronting coronavirus. Read more here.

  Cheat Sheet for Remote Work
  (Source: Sujan Patel)
  To help you navigate this new transition, Patel  pulled together a few of favorite resources and best tips as part of a “cheat sheet” for remote work.

  Best Tips for Working from Home Effectively
  (Source: Tech.co)
  The coronavirus outbreak has many businesses urgently considering their work-from-home policies. If you're soon likely to be logging on from your living room, there are some best practices for working from home that will keep your tasks efficient and your business secure.

   

• Broadband

  Helpful Tips to Improve Your Internet
  (Source: Connected Nation)
  These tips provide quick explanations about how things work, why they sometimes don’t and how to fix them. They will hopefully get you back onto the information superhighway in a flash.

  Broadband: Missouri Providers
  (Source: Department of Health and Senior Services)
  Broadband access is more important than ever as Missourians have been instructed to stay home from work and school as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. In response to the quarantine, several broadband providers are temporarily offering free internet service, waiving disconnect and late fees, providing access to wi-fi hot spots and other measures to help people at home access the services they need. Click that link to find examples of how Missouri providers are ensuring continuity of service to our communities during this time of need.

  FCC’s Keep Americans Connected
  FCC Chairman Ajit Pai launched the Keep Americans Connected Initiative, in order to ensure that Americans do not lose their broadband or telephone connectivity as a result of these exceptional circumstances. The pledge entails for the next 60 days:

  1. Not terminate service to any residential or small business customers because of their inability to pay their bills due to the disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic;

  2. Waive any late fees that any residential or small business customers incur because of their economic circumstances related to the coronavirus pandemic; and

  3. Open its Wi-Fi hotspots to any American who needs them.

  FCC Lifeline Rules Waived 
  The FCC announced changes to waive Lifeline program rules to assist program participants potentially affected by the disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic and aid community efforts to slow its spread. The Lifeline program plays an important role in ensuring that low-income Americans have access to affordable communications services by providing monthly discounts on broadband and voice services to qualifying customers.

  Free & Low-Cost Internet Plans 
  The National Digital Inclusion Association (NDIA) list of current offers from major ISPs that will help low-income household to acquire service at no cost, or at very affordable prices. Most have eligibility limitations linked to income or program enrollment. The list also included established, nationally available low-cost plans offered by nonprofit organizations.
  

  Missouri Broadband Grant Program
  (Source: Missouri Department of Economic Development)
  Governor Mike Parson announced 16 broadband development projects will receive a total of $3.05 million through the state of Missouri’s broadband grant program. The selected projects will bring service to more than 4,400 Missouri homes, businesses, and farms that lack access to high-speed internet.The focus of this grant program is to provide state resources that help providers, communities, counties, and regions invest in building broadband infrastructure in unserved and underserved areas of the state.

   

• Business Guidance for Stay-at-Home Orders

  Business Guidance and Waiver Requests
  (Source: Missouri Department of Economic Development)
  The order provides instruction for businesses that can continue to operate and establishes criteria to determine those businesses that cannot continue for the time being.

  • DED Stay-at-Home Order: Business Guidance

  • Review the waiver process

   

• Virtual Events and Meetings

  Don't Just Throw Together a Webinar — The Virtual Events Crash Course You Need
  (Source: FirstRound)
  Whether you’re tasked with energizing your existing community or scrambling to spin it all up for the first time — or just trying to hold a really great virtual happy hour — community expert David Spinks has the tips you need.

  How to Elevate Your Presence in a Virtual Meeting
  (Source: Harvard Business Review)
  Elevating both your point and your presence in a Zoom, Skype, or similar virtual meeting, requires not only engaging in video conference-friendly tactics but also disabusing yourself of potentially detrimental misconceptions about the medium. To help keep your impact actual when your presence is virtual, consider these six recommendations.

  Resources for Event Creators
  (Source: Eventbrite)
  Whether you have an event coming up or you’re trying to decide whether to schedule one later this year, we've designed resources, including information, articles, suggestions, and support for decision-making. We acknowledge the increased need for flexibility in times of uncertainty, and if the best decision for your event is to turn it virtual, or postpone for a few months from now, we’re here to help.

Coronavirus LEADERSHIP

• Post-Crisis Leadership

  Leaders, Do You Have a Clear Vision for the Post-Crisis Future? 
  (Source: Harvard Business Review)
  Don’t let your short-term response get in the way of your long-term plan.

  Shifting from Why to How
  (Source: McKinsey & Company)
  What is your company’s core reason for being, and where can you have a unique, positive impact on society? Now more than ever, you need good answers to these questions.

   

   

• Crisis Leadership

  Coronavirus: Leading through Crisis
  (Source: McKinsey & Company)
  Check out this collection of insights on how organizations can respond and what happens next.

  A Leader’s Guide: Communicating with Teams, Stakeholders and Communities during COVID-19
  (Source: McKinsey & Company)
  COVID-19’s speed and scale breed uncertainty and emotional disruption. How organizations communicate about it can create clarity, build resilience, and catalyze positive change.

  4 Behaviors That Help Leaders Manage a Crisis
  (Source: Harvard Business Review)
  Decide with speed over precision, adapt boldly, reliably deliver, engage for impact: these are the four behaviors to lead through a crisis.
  
  

  Lead Your Business through the Coronavirus Crisis
  (Source: Harvard Business Review)
  There’s preparing for coronavirus and preparing to do business during the coronavirus. This article is a great and fast read on how to prepare your team and think through your communication and processes. We especially like no. 7 and no. 10. As a leader, communicating through this uncertainty with clarity and confidence is key. 

  5 (Practical) Cs for Leading in a Crisis/Downturn
  (Source: Verne Harnish of Scaling Up)
  Panic is contagious, but so is leadership. This one-pager from Verne Harnish details the 5 Cs of leadership in a crisis/downturn. Tip one: communicate daily, maybe even twice per day. 

   

• Business Survival and Disruption Strategies

  What to Stop, Start, and Accelerate
  (Source: McKinsey & Company)
  As businesses step into the post-coronavirus future, they need to find a balance between what worked before and what needs to happen to succeed in the next normal.

  Coronavirus: How Big Brands Are Responding
  (Source: Brandchannel)
  Brandchannel has pulled together up-to-date snapshots of how brands are responding to the coronavirus crisis. 

  5 Steps to Increase the Odds Your Business Will Make It Through
  (Source: Dr. Jana, University of South Australia)
  The bad news, not every business will make it through this, but here are steps you can talk to increase the odds that yours will.

  Guide to Conquering a Business Disruption
  (Source: Missouri SBDC)
  Cash management, pricing and cost containment, supply chain management, marketing--dig into this checklist to help your business stay on track.

   

• Emergency, Disaster and Continuity Plans

  Business Continuity Management Gap Analysis Checklist
  (Missouri Enterprise)
  Missouri Enterprise can partner with your company on Business Continuity Planning and Disaster Recovery and Sustainability.

  Getting Ahead of the Next Stage of the Coronavirus Crisis
  (Source: McKinsey & Company)
  First the virus, now the economic fallout—you need to launch your plan-ahead team. Direct that team to work across multiple time horizons, using five frames.

  Disaster Preparedness and Recovery Financial Forms
  (Source: Federal Bank of Kansas City)
  Take the first steps in preparing for a disaster by completing your personal or small business financial form. 

  Ready Rating
  (Source: American Red Cross)
  Use the American Red Cross’s Read Rating to see where you can improve your safety and disaster readiness.

  Emergency Planning Exercises
  (Source: FEMA)
  Make your plan. As a business, bring your staff together and prepare a plan for what you will do if the incident worsens or improves. It’s also helpful to conduct a tabletop exercise to simulate potential scenarios and how your business management and staff might respond to the hypothetical scenario. 

  Planning for a Coronavirus Pandemic - City of KCMO
  (Source: Public Health, City of Kansas City, Missouri, Health Department)
  Though global by definition, pandemics have local impacts. Pandemics can cause absenteeism, alter patterns of business and travel, interrupt supply chains, and affect the daily operations of your business. You can  minimize the impact to your organization by creating a plan that clearly outlines roles, responsibilities, and policies

  Business Continuity Plan
  (Source: Ready.gov)
  When business is disrupted, it can cost money. Lost revenues plus extra expenses means reduced profits. Insurance does not cover all costs and cannot replace customers that defect to the competition. A business continuity plan to continue business is essential. 

  How to Develop a Business Continuity Plan
  (Source: KCBJ and Sean Wright of Affinity Technology Partners)
  For businesses that want to respond appropriately to protect both employees and customers from risk of infection, a large component of that planning should involve a business continuity plan that empowers workers to utilize technology in a secure manner to remain productive when working away from the office. This article provides a few key items to consider as you establish your business continuity plan.

   

• Risk Management + Business Insurance

  Aon offers a wealth of info around risk management on its COVID-19 response site around business continuity and supply chain; employee health, benefits and duty care; communications and insurance and alternative risk; reinsurance; and industry-specific impacts. All are super informative. Here’s a sampling of risk management strategies, especially for business owners.

  • Managing and Mitigating Business Risk, COVID-19 

  • Property and Coronavirus (COVID-19):  Is My Business Covered?

  • Impact of Coronavirus (COVID-19) in U.S. Casualty Claim 

  • The Coronavirus – D&O, EPL, and Wage & Hour Insurance

  • Is Disinfection Coverage Available for Coronavirus (COVID-19) Under  Environmental Insurance Policies?

  The Coronavirus Economic Impact: Will Business Interruption Insurance Help (& What Are My Other Options)?
  (Source: SCORE)
  An add-on insurance called business interruption may help—but this is the exception, not the rule.

  Stay Safe Online
  (Source: National Cyber Security Alliance)
  To help individuals and organizations find resources they can use and share, NCSA has launched the COVID-19 Security Resource Library. This library features free and updated information on current scams, cyber threats, remote working, disaster relief, and more.

  Scams and Fraud Alerts
  (Source: SBA)
  The CARES Act, the largest financial assistance bill to date, includes provisions to help small businesses. Fraudsters have already begun targeting small business owners during these economically difficult times. Be on the lookout for grant fraud, loan fraud, and phishing.

   

• Close, Sell, Transfer Your Business

  Call KCSourceLink at 816-235-6500 or let us know what you need at kcsourcelink.com/myplan to get connected with vetted resources and qualified advice to  help you make this decision and fill the right paperwork.

  How to Close or Sell Your Business
  (Source: SBA)
  The SBA walks you through the steps of how to close, sell, transfer ownership or liquidate. 

  Knowing When to Stop, Proceed with Caution or Ramp Up
  (Source: Dr. Jana Matthews, Australian Centre for Business Growth)
  One big issue for CEOs is to be able to recognise whether your warning light is blinking red, yellow or green, because each colour suggests a different set of issues and requires a different response from the CEO.

  How Do I Close a Business?
  (Source: Missouri SBDC)
  There are several warning signs that may indicate it’s time to change or close your business.

   

Coronavirus LEGAL ISSUES

• Quick Links

  Free legal resources for small businesses from regional law firms: 

  • Armstrong Teasdale

  • Husch Blackwell

  • Kutak Rock 

  • Polsinelli

  • Stinson

• General Legal Tips

  Polsinelli COVID-19 Blog
  Bookmark this one. The Kansas City legal firm Polsinelli has launched its COVID Response Team and the new COVID-19: What Your Business Needs to Know blog. Polsinelli’s cross-disciplinary COVID-19 attorney team draws on the expertise of more than 15 practice groups and provides practical guidance and counsel on the full array of industries and legal complexities. 

  Current topics include:

  • CMS Waivers 

  • Commercial Contracts

  • IRS Guidance for HDHP

  • as well as supply chain logistics, FDA-regulated industry, employer guidance and more

  Kutak Rock Legal Portal
  Kutak Rock developed three different legal resource portals, each focused on providing news, analysis and guidance on a wide variety of legal topics. Check back frequently as publications evolve with the release of information.

  • COVID-19 Legal Resource Portal: General legal guidance for businesses

  • CARES Act: Specialized legal guidance for businesses

  • COVID-19 “Ticker” Blog: Pandemic news in a legal context
    

  
  Force Majeure and the Coronavirus (COVID-19)
  (Source: Stinson)
  Generally speaking, entities that enter into contracts are bound to perform them. However, as matters evolve, the impacts of natural and man-made problems arising from the coronavirus (COVID-19) are being felt by customers, their contractors and suppliers. Who bears the costs of such impacts and are there possible defenses or routes to recovery of costs? Force majeure provisions may prove to be a sword and a shield for addressing such impacts.

   

  Coronavirus: Preparing Your Business for Impact 
  (Source: Lockton)
  The experts at Lockton address property or business interruptions, employee rights and benefits and employee health and welfare.

  Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19
  (Source: OSHA)
  This guide walks through how COVI-19 could affect workplaces, how to classify worker exposure and how to protect workers.OSHA wants you to know that these recommendations are advisory in nature, informational in content and are intended to assist employers in providing a safe and healthful workplace. 

  Workplace Issues and COVID-19
  (Source: Husch and Blackwell)
  Let’s dig deeper. Husch and Blackwell offers answers you won’t find in OSHA’s guide (above). There are some tough balancing acts between limiting spread of the virus on the one hand and protecting worker privacy and respecting various employment laws on the other. 

  Coronavirus and the Workplace: Compliance Issues for Employers
  (Source: Maria Dennison, SHRM-SCP and Regional Director of Seward County Community College’s Kansas SBDC)
  First things first: as an employer you have to provide a safe and healthy work environment and that comes with some legal requirements—and some key questions around wages, leave requirements, ADA and OSHA. 

   

   

• Workplace Issues

  Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19
  (Source: OSHA)
  This guide walks through how COVI-19 could affect workplaces, how to classify worker exposure and how to protect workers.OSHA wants you to know that these recommendations are advisory in nature, informational in content and are intended to assist employers in providing a safe and healthful workplace. 

  Workplace Issues and COVID-19
  (Source: Husch and Blackwell)
  Let’s dig deeper. Husch and Blackwell offers answers you won’t find in OSHA’s guide (above). There are some tough balancing acts between limiting spread of the virus on the one hand and protecting worker privacy and respecting various employment laws on the other. 

   

Coronavirus INDUSTRY IMPACTS

• Business, Entrepreneurship and Industry Impact

  COVID-19 and the Great Reset
  (Source: McKinsey & Company)
  The latest perspectives on the coronavirus outbreak, the twin threats to lives and livelihoods, and how organizations can prepare for the next normal. 

  Impact of Coronavirus Outbreak on Supply Chain
  (Source: Institute for Supply Management)
  This page is a centralized resource to gather news, resources and upcoming events centered on information you should know and education and research you can access on mitigating the risks impacting the supply chain today.
  

  The Ripple Effects of COVID-19 on Emerging Technologies
  (Source: PItchBook)
  While VC deal volume was down 28% in the Great Recession, deal activity was down a modest 5% and actually increased for angel and seed deals, suggesting that startups will still have the opportunity to find investors, though deal sizes are likely to be much lower. 

  COVID-19 Implications for Business
  (Source: McKinsey & Company)
  These briefing notes from March 25, 2020, provides business leaders with a perspective on the evolving situation and implications for their companies. The outbreak is moving quickly, and some of the perspectives in this article may fall rapidly out of date. This article reflects McKinsey’s perspective as of March 9, 2020 and they plan tol update it regularly as the outbreak evolves. McKinsey and Company is a global management consulting firm.

  Coronavirus Impact on Industries & Sectors around the World 
  (Source: IBISWorld) This link from IBISWorld provides a collection of fast facts about how the spread of COVID-19 is affecting sectors in Australia, Canada, Germany, New Zealand, the UK and the US.
  

  The next normal in construction: How disruption is reshaping the world’s largest ecosystem
  (Source: McKinsey & Company, June 4, 2020)
  The COVID-19 crisis looks set to accelerate an overdue transformation of the world’s largest ecosystem. We expect nine shifts to radically change the construction value chain, and offer a blueprint for the next normal ahead.

  The Impact of COVID-19 on Latino-Owned Businesses
  (Source: Stanford Latino Entrepreneurship Initiative)
  Latino business revenue has taken a hit in recent months because of COVID-19. Just two weeks into the pandemic in March 2020, 86 percent of Latino-owned businesses surveyed by the Stanford Latino Entrepreneurship Initiative said they lost revenue and clients, along with project delays and layoffs.
  

• For Artists

  Arts Integration Grants
  (Source: Kansas Department of Commerce)
  The Arts Integration Program grants support the role the arts play in all levels of education, community service and workforce development. This program provides funding for educational institutions, arts organizations and community service nonprofits to use the arts to increase student success, foster creative thinking, develop critical job skills and enhance community development.

  Artist Relief
  (Source: Artist Relief)
  To support artists during the COVID-19 crisis, a coalition of national arts grantmakers have come together to create an emergency initiative to offer financial and informational resources to artists across the United States.

   

• For Farmers

  FAQs: Related to COVID-19 Impact on the Fruit and Vegetable Industry
  (Source: USDA Agricultural Marketing Service)
  Work in the perishable agriculture industry? Get the FAQs on how COVID-19 is impacting your business and the resources you can tap now.
  

  USDA Implements Measures to Help Rural Businesses Affected by COVID-19 
  (Source: USDA)
  USDA Rural Development has taken a number of immediate actions to help rural residents, businesses and communities affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. Rural Development will keep our customers, partners, and stakeholders continuously updated as more actions are taken to better serve rural America.
  

  MOFoodFinder 
  (Source: University of Missouri Extension)
  Farmers, growers and local suppliers can map their local food business by entering basic information about the food they sell, location and contact information. Customers can find local food sources using the map and search tools below.

  FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE 

  USDA Microloan Programs
  (Source: USDA)

  The focus of Microloans is on the financing needs of small, beginning farmer, niche and non-traditional farm operations, such as truck farms, farms participating in direct marketing and sales such as farmers’ markets, CSA’s (Community Supported Agriculture), restaurants and grocery stores, or those using hydroponic, aquaponic, organic and vertical growing methods.
  

   

   

• For Innovation-Led Startups

  Survey Results: Midwest VC Activity during COVID-19
  (Source: Lewis and Clark Ventures’ Tech Between the Coasts and Jonathan Ellis, Managing Director of Chicago-based Sandalphon Capital)
  Ellis reached out to 106 VCs and other early stage investors throughout the Midwest for their thoughts on how the state of investing will change in the coming weeks and months. A few highlights:

  • 28% reported things are “business as usual” 

  • 69% are focused on their current portfolio; of that 69%, 54% said they’re still taking some meetings with the intent to invest near-term, while 15% are only taking early-stage meetings for the time being

  • 46% reported they are being “a little more selective” when taking meetings

  • 19% said they’re being “much more selective”

  • The most common response when asked how 2020 valuations will compare to 2019 was a 20% discount

  COVID-19’s Influence on the U.S. Private Equity Market
  (Source: Pitchbook)
  As the coronavirus epidemic reshapes the global economy, it's also shifting the focus in certain areas of the market. For private equity—in many ways a bet on future economic growth—that means first looking to secure current investments before sourcing new deals.

  
  

  How VCs & Founders Are Reacting to the Downturn
  The VC & Founder Sentiment Survey is an ongoing initiative to track how early-stage Investors and Founders are reacting to the COVID-19 crisis. The goal is to provide a reference point to the community in the midst of one of the most unpredictable climates we’ve seen.

   

• For Main Street Businesses

  • Kansas Department of Health

  • Missouri Department of Health

  Statewide and Local Results
  The impacts of COVID-19 on Main Street businesses are not felt evenly across the country. To better understand what is happening on the state and local level, Main Street America dug into its survey data to provide state-by-state granular data through interactive maps.

   

  COVID-19 RESOURCES
  

  
  National Restaurant Association – Coronavirus Information and Resources
  The National Restaurant Association updates this page regularly with resources specific to restaurants. Have a restaurant? Start there.

  COVID-19 Crisis Main Street Checklist
  (Source: Main Street America)
  As the COVID-19 crisis continues to develop, Main Street America has gathered some quick tips, ideas and inspiration that your Main Street program can implement to keep your community supporting local while social-distancing or isolating.
  
   

  
  
  

• For Manufacturers

  NIST Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) centers provide services to small- and medium-sized manufacturers such as connecting businesses that are pivoting their production in response to the coronavirus to new supply chains, connecting firms with state resources, advising companies on new operational issues, and providing workforce support. Connect with your MEP center:

  • Kansas Manufacturing Solutions

  • Missouri Enterprise

  Supply Chain Recovery
  (Source: McKinsey & Company)
  Actions taken now to mitigate impacts on supply chains from coronavirus can also build resilience against future shocks.

   

• For Self-Employed, Gig Workers, Independent Contractors

  Unemployment for Self-Employed, Gig Workers and Independent Contractors
  Missouri and Kansas are also starting to provide funding for pandemic unemployment assistance (unemployment for sole props, independent contractors, etc.).

  • Kansas

  • Missouri

  
  

  Missouri Encourages Self-Employed, Gig Workers to Apply for Unemployment
  (Missouri Department of Labor)
  Self-employed, gig workers and independent contractors whose businesses have been impacted by the coronavirus are encouraged to apply for unemployment assistance. Under the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program, those who qualify will be eligible for weekly benefit payments of between $133 and $320 per week plus a $600 federal supplement available under the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) program. File claims online at uinteract.labor.mo.gov.

   

• Research + Running Business Statistics

  Census Bureau Releases Interactive Data Hub in Response to COVID-19
  

  (Source: U.S. Census Bureau)
  A new interactive data hub centralizes demographic and economic data to facilitate pandemic-related decision-making. The data hub, released as a beta version, will be updated periodically as the situation changes and as feedback is received from users. 

  
  

   

Coronavirus HEALTH AND SAFETY

• Prevent Illness

  The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to it. The CDC always recommends everyday preventive actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory diseases, including:

  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.

  • Stay home when you are sick.

  • Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.

  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.

  • Follow CDC’s recommendations for using a facemask: CDC does not recommend that people who are well wear a facemask to protect themselves from respiratory diseases, including COVID-19.

  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.

  • If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty. 

  Census Bureau Releases Interactive Data Hub in Response to COVID-19
  (Source: U.S. Census Bureau)
  A new interactive data hub centralizes demographic and economic data to facilitate pandemic-related decision-making. The data hub, released as a beta version, will be updated periodically as the situation changes and as feedback is received from users. 

  Workplace Tips for Employers
  (Source: U.S. Chamber)
  At the link, you’ll find general workplace health and safety information from CDC in an easy-to-distribute handout. 
  

   

• Reduce Exposure

  Steps to Reduce Workers Risk of Exposure
  (Source: OSHA)
  This webpage provides information for workers and employers about the evolving coronavirus outbreak. The information includes links to interim guidance and other resources for preventing exposures to, and infection with, the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), including medical information, standards, control and prevention and hazard recognition.

  Some quick jumps:

  • Most U.S. workers remain at low risk of exposure

  • How does COVID-19 spread?

  • Workers who may have exposure risk

  • Identifying potential sources of exposure

  How to Conduct a Risk Assessment of Potential Exposure
  (Source: CDC)
  Employees who are well but who have a sick family member at home with COVID-19 should notify their supervisor and refer to CDC guidance for how to conduct a risk assessment of their potential exposure.

   

• Cleaning and Disinfecting

  Environmental Cleaning and Disinfecting Recommendations
  (Source: CDC)
  Current evidence suggests that novel coronavirus may remain viable for hours to days on surfaces made from a variety of materials. Cleaning of visibly dirty surfaces followed by disinfection is a best practice measure for prevention of COVID-19 and other viral respiratory illnesses in community settings.

  List of Disinfectants for Use against Coronavirus (COVID-19)
  (Source: EPA)
  This list includes products that meet EPA’s criteria for use against SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus that causes the disease COVID-19.

   

• Plan and Respond

  Guidance for Employers to Plan and Respond to Coronavirus (COVID-19)
  (Source: U.S. Chamber)
  This document shares CDC tips for preventing the spread of the coronavirus at work as well as insights into policies that should be implemented if employees get sick.

  How to Conduct a Risk Assessment of Potential Exposure
  (Source: CDC)
  Employees who are well but who have a sick family member at home with COVID-19 should notify their supervisor and refer to CDC guidance for how to conduct a risk assessment of their potential exposure.

   

• Kansas City Regional Resources

  Here are few quick links to the response to COVID-19 in the Kansas City metro area. 

  • PrepareMetro KC

  • City of Kansas City, Missouri

  • Clay County, Missouri

  • Jackson County, Missouri

  • Johnson County, Kansas 

  • Wyandotte County, Kansas

  Kansas City COVID-10 Community Resources

  The Beacon hosts a page that provides community resources beyond business. 

   

• General FAQ

  Because the situation is rapidly evolving and recommendations from the CDC and the U.S. Department of State change daily, members of the University community are encouraged to monitor the CDC and U.S. Department of State websites for the most up to date information.

  • Kansas Department of Health

  • Missouri Department of Health

  • World Health Organization: Rolling Updates on Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19)

  • World Health Organization: Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Travel Advice

  • United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - Coronavirus Disease 2019 Information for Travel

  • United States Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs - Current Outbreak of Coronavirus Disease 2019

  • United States Travel Association: Emergency Preparedness and Response - Coronavirus (COVID-19)