COVID-19: Resources for Businesses & Workers Impacted by Coronavirus

To help keep up with the quickly changing response to the COVID-19 pandemic, below are some important resources related to the economic impacts for businesses and workers:

Looking for ways to help in this time of public health crisis?

Get Involved

New York State is doing all it can to keep New Yorkers safe and stop the spread of COVID-19. But we’re stronger if we all work together. Governor Cuomo is calling on health care professionals, schools of public health or medicine and PPE products providers and manufacturers to come forward to support the state’s response. In addition, many businesses and organizations have expressed a desire to support New York State as it responds to the virus outbreak. Individuals or groups looking to volunteer or contribute to the State’s effort should contact the Governor’s Office at covid19assistance@exec.ny.gov.

Retool and Diversify

Learn about ways your business can help: https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/get-involved-how-you-can-help .

Looking for assistance to help your business through this crisis?

New York State

Empire State Development (ESD) has set up a web portal and FAQ page for individuals and businesses with business-related COVID-19 issues and questions on this website with all COVID-19 info: https://esd.ny.gov/esd-covid-19-related-resources
DOL has been working hard to keep up with the new demand for Unemployment Insurance and has institute new rules that include extended ours and restrictions about when to file based on your last name:
https://labor.ny.gov/pressreleases/2020/march-17-2020-1.shtm
DOL is also reminding businesses of its Shared Work Program that can provide an alternative to laying off employees during business downturns by allowing workers to work a reduced work schedule and collect partial unemployment insurance benefits for up to 26 weeks. Instead of cutting staff, you able to reduce the number of hours of all employees or just a certain group:
https://www.labor.ny.gov/ui/employerinfo/shared-work-program.shtm
The main NYS page for all COVID-19 information can be found here: https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/home
Empire State Development: Guidance for Determining Whether a Business Enterprise is Subject to a 100% Workforce Reduction
Empire State Development: Request for Designation as an Essential Business
Empire State Development: COVID-19 Resources
Empire State Development: Submit Your COVID-19-Related Questions
New York State Department of Labor: Shared Work Program Partial Unemployment Insurance Benefits
Executive Order: Reduction of On-site Workforce at New York State Businesses and Nonprofits
Executive Order: Health Care, Malls, and Amusement-related Businesses
Paid Leave for New Yorkers Under Mandatory or Precautionary Quarantine Due to COVID-19
NYS Restaurant Association: https://www.nysra.org/covid-19-info–resources.html

State Health Resources

New York State Department of Health Coronavirus Resources
Sign Up for New York State Coronavirus Updates

CCIDA Emergency Working Capital Loan Program

In response to the COVID-19 crisis and the impact it is having on businesses throughout Chautauqua County, the County of Chautauqua Industrial Development Agency (CCIDA) is providing low-interest loans not to exceed $10,000 to businesses throughout Chautauqua County. This emergency funding, which originates from the Al-Tech Loan Fund, can be used for working capital needs, and the normal application and securitization requirements are being relaxed. While these emergency loans are to be paid back in their entirety, they will be interest-only for a minimum of three months, and leniency is being exercised in terms of normal collateral requirements.

For more information or to apply for this program, please contact the CCIDA at 661-8900 or visit ccida.com.

Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce Resources

As businesses face new and extraordinary challenges, we will work to provide information here that speaks to critical issues. All of these links are designed to assist all businesses in Chautauqua County in the wake of the the COVID-19 pandemic and the ever-changing nature of our business climate. The Chamber of Commerce strongly encourages all businesses, regardless of size, to first and foremost ensure the safety of employees and customers and to be prepared for alternative business models as this situation is fluid and things are changing rapidly. For more information, please visit: https://www.chautauquachamber.org/covid-19-in-the-workplace.html

Small business Administration Disaster Loan Assistance

New York State has now been approved as an Economic Injury Disaster State so our small businesses can now start the SBA Disaster Loan application process. The Economic Injury Disaster Loans are for small businesses. A business can apply for up to $2 million and the interest rate will be 3.75% (2.75% for nonprofits that qualify). Loans over $25,000 require collateral. Business will need their most recent Federal Income Tax Return and information on monthly sales. It is recommended that businesses look at the last three years of their Tax Return documents in order to develop a strong estimate on what their losses would be for this year. Loans can take up to 21 days for approval and then several more weeks for the closing documents to go through. Funds can be used for fixed debts, payroll, and other bills. The assumption (this is not confirmed yet) is that the loan payments will start five months after the loan date.

The application can be accessed online at: https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.

Staff of the Small Business Development Center at JCC is trained on the application process. Please call the SBDC office at 716-338-1024 for assistance filling out the application. They will be monitoring this line and an advisor will return your call.

Utilities

If you are struggling to pay your BPU bill, please call customer service immediately so that they can document the issues, work on a plan, and ensure that you are not getting penalties applied to your account. BPU Customer Service 716-661-1660.

Internal Revenue Service

The Internal Revenue Service will grant a 90 day deferral for tax payments, up to $1 million for individuals and $10 million for corporations, with no interest and no penalties. See IRS Notice: https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/n-20-17.pdf for more details. On March 17, the IRS also alerted its employees that effective immediately, the IRS will stop some enforcement actions, including certain levies and collection notices, until further notice. Additional information can be found on the Covid-19 dedicated IRS webpage: https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus.