Federal COVID-19 Resources

U.S Federal Government – Federal COVID-19 Portal

1. Major Legislation & Announcements

There are over 130 bills that have been introduced in the 116th Congress that relate to COVID-19

a. Public Law 116-139 titled: "Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act" -  On April 23, 2020, Congress approved bill H.R.266 to provide additional funding to the Paycheck Protection Program and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan & Advance. It was signed by the President on April 24, 2020. The legislation includes more than $250 billion in unrestricted funds for the Paycheck Protection Program. There is also an additional $60 billion for smaller lending institutions, with $30 million earmarked for lenders with assets valued at less than $10 billion, and $30 billion for lenders with assets between $10-50 billion. For the Economic Injury Disaster Loans, the bill designates an additional $50 billion for Economic Injury Disaster Loans and an additional $10 billion for the Economic Injury Disaster Loans advance grants. There is also an additional $100 billion allocated for hospitals and COVID-19 testing.

b. Public Law s.3548 titled: “Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act or the CARES Act” - This bill addresses economic impacts of, and otherwise responds to, the COVID-19 outbreak. The bill authorizes emergency loans to distressed businesses, including air carriers, and suspends certain aviation excise taxes. With respect to small businesses, the bill establishes, and provides funding for, forgivable bridge loans; and provides additional funding for grants and technical assistance. The bill also provides funding for $1,200 tax rebates to individuals, with additional $500 payments per qualifying child. The rebate begins phasing out when incomes exceed $75,000 (or $150,000 for joint filers). For a guide about how the act will impact small businesses, click here.

c. Public Law 116-123 (H.R.6074), titled: “Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020”. The programs funded by the bill address issues that include loans for affected small businesses. This bill provides $8.3 billion in emergency funding for federal agencies to respond to the coronavirus outbreak.

d. Public Law 116-123 (H.R. 6201), titled: “Families First Coronavirus Response Act” – the bill under Division A, Title II includes $5 million for the Department of Labor to administer the emergency paid sick days program. Under Division D - creates a new federal emergency paid leave benefits program as Title VI of the Social Security Act. Under Division E - provides $1 billion in 2020 for emergency grants to states for activities related to processing and paying unemployment insurance (UI) benefits, under certain conditions.

a. Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act

From the effective date of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act through December 31, 2020:

1. Eligible employees are entitled to take 12 workweeks of leave if they are unable to work due to a need for leave to care for the son or daughter under 18 years of age of such employee if the school or place of care has been closed, or the child care provider of such son or daughter is unavailable, due to COVID-19.
2. To be eligible for this leave, an employee need only have been employed for at least 30 calendar days. 
3. The first 10 days of leave may be unpaid, unless the employee elects to substitute available accrued vacation, sick or personal leave. 
4. After the initial 10 days, an employer must provide paid leave at a rate of 2/3 of the employee’s regular rate of pay for the number of hours the employee would otherwise be normally scheduled to work, but only up to $200 per day and $10,000 in total

  b. Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act

Under the Emergency Paid Sick Leave provisions of the law, full-time employees will be entitled to 80 hours of paid sick leave for certain qualifying reasons outlined below. Part-time employees will be eligible for paid leave for a number of hours equal to the number of hours that such employee works, on average, over a 2-week period. Paid sick leave is calculated based on the employee’s regular compensation, except that it is capped at $511 per day and $5,110 in the aggregate for a use described in sections (1), (2), or (3) above; and $200 per day and $2,000 in the aggregate for a use described in sections (4), (5), or (6) of section 5102(a). An employer may not require an employee to use other available paid leave prior to using this sick time. Click here for details on the Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act. 

c. Public Law s.3548 titled: “Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act or the CARES Act” - This bill addresses economic impacts of, and otherwise responds to, the COVID-19 outbreak. The bill authorizes emergency loans to distressed businesses, including air carriers, and suspends certain aviation excise taxes. With respect to small businesses, the bill establishes, and provides funding for, forgivable bridge loans; and provides additional funding for grants and technical assistance. The bill also provides funding for $1,200 tax rebates to individuals, with additional $500 payments per qualifying child. The rebate begins phasing out when incomes exceed $75,000 (or $150,000 for joint filers). For a guide about how the act will impact small businesses, click here.
 

b. Proposed Bills

a. S.3568, titled: “The Main Street Emergency Grant Program” provides liquidity for businesses to support fixed costs, payroll to help them stay afloat during the crisis. These grants would turn into loans that would have to be repaid if businesses failed to restore their payroll to 80% of prior levels within 12 months of the termination of the COVID-19 public health emergency unless the business can demonstrate a hardship that prevented them from doing so. The Main Street Emergency Grant Program also offers forgivable loans to midsize businesses who are experiencing similar losses. These loans would be forgivable if businesses restore their payrolls to 80% within 12 months of the termination of the COVID-19 public health emergency.

2. U.S. Internal Revenue Service (Taxes)

a. Tax Deadline Extension - The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has extended the deadline for filing and payments to July 15, 2020. Taxpayers will get a three-month reprieve to file and pay the income taxes they owe up to $1 million in tax. Corporate filers would get the same length of time to pay amounts due on up to $10 million in taxes owed. Click here for more information.

b. Stimulus Check Information - Looking for information on stimulus payment checks? Click here to visit the Internal Revenue Service website.

c. Employee Retention Credit - This is a payroll tax credit equal to 50 percent of “qualified wages” paid by “eligible employers” to certain employees during the COVID-19 crisis. The credit applies against the employer’s share of FICA (social security) tax. The credit is capped at $10,000 per employee. The credit is not available to employers receiving small business interruption loans under the CARES bill. Click here for more information.

3. U.S. Department of Labor

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) has published guidance to provide information to employees and employers about how each will be able to take advantage of the protections and relief offered by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) when it goes into effect on April 1, 2020.

The latest round of guidance includes questions and answers addressing critical issues such as the definition of a “health care provider,” and the scope of the small business exemption for purposes of exclusion from the provisions of the Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act and Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act, as well as whether public-sector employees may take paid family and medical leave. In addition, WHD posted its two recently released posters and fact sheets in Spanish on its COVID-19 website.

This guidance adds to a growing list of compliance assistance materials published by WHD, including the English-language versions of a Fact Sheet for Employees, a Fact Sheet for Employers, and the new required poster for nonfederal employees, as well as Questions and Answers about posting requirements, and a Field Assistance Bulletin describing WHD’s 30-day non-enforcement policy.

WHD provides additional information on common issues employers and employees face when responding to COVID-19, and its effects on wages and hours worked under the Fair Labor Standards Act and job-protected leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act at https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/pandemic.

4. Financial Assistance

a. U.S. Small Business Administration Loans

a. COVID-19 Disaster Loans - In response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, small business owners in all U.S. states, Washington D.C., and territories are eligible to apply for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan advance of up to $10,000. The SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan program provides small businesses with working capital loans of up to $2 million that can provide vital economic support to small businesses to help overcome the temporary loss of revenue they are experiencing. The loan advance will provide economic relief to businesses that are currently experiencing a temporary loss of revenue. Funds will be made available within three days of a successful application, and this loan advance will not have to be repaid. Economic Injury Disaster Loans are also available to residents in declared disaster areas. Click here to apply for a COVID-19 Disaster Loan. 

More Resources Regarding SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loans:

1. COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan Application
2. Governor Lamont Small Business Support Video Call
3. SBA Step-by-Step Instructions on Completing the Loan Application
4. How to apply for an SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan Webinar
5. Small Business Guidance for Businesses
    

b. Paycheck Protection Program - This program is designed to provide a direct incentive for small businesses to keep their workers on payroll by providing each small business a loan up to $10 million for payroll and certain other expenses.

If all employees are kept on payroll for eight weeks, SBA will forgive the portion of the loans used for payroll, rent, mortgage interest, or utilities. Up to 100 percent of the loan is forgivable.

Paycheck Protection Program FAQ

Paycheck Protection Program Guide from the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston

c. Small Business Debt Relief - Provides immediate relief to small businesses with non-disaster SBA loans, in particular 7(a), 504, and microloans. Under this program, the SBA will cover all loan payments on previously secured SBA loans, including principal, interest, and fees, for six months.

d. Regular Capital Loans - SBA provides a number of loan resources for small businesses to utilize when operating their business.
 

a. Microloan Program - Involves making loans through nonprofit lending organizations to underserved markets. Authorized use of loan proceeds includes working capital, supplies, machinery & equipment, and fixtures (does not include real estate). The maximum loan amount is $50,000 with the average loan size of $14,000.

b. 504 Loan Program - Designed to foster economic development and job creation and/or retention. The eligible use of proceeds is limited to the acquisition of eligible refinance of fixed assets.

c. Community Advantage Loan Pilot Program - Allows mission-based lenders to assist small businesses in underserved markets with a maximum loan size of $250,000. The uses of proceeds are the same as the standard 7(a) loan.

d. Express Loan Program - Provides loans up to $350,000 for no more than 7 years with an option to revolve. There is a turnaround time of 36 hours for approval or denial of a completed application. The uses of proceeds are the same as the standard 7(a) loan.

e. 7(a) Program - Offers loan amounts up to $5,000,000 and is an all-inclusive loan program deployed by lending partners for eligible small businesses within the U.S. States and its territories. The uses of proceeds include working capital; expansion/renovation; new construction; purchase of land or buildings; purchase of equipment, fixtures; leasehold improvements; refinancing debt for compelling reasons; seasonal line of credit; inventory; or starting a business.
 

e. Exporting Assistance - SBA provides export loans to help small businesses achieve sales through exports and can help these businesses respond to opportunities and challenges associated with trade, such as COVID-19. The loans are available to U.S. small businesses that export directly overseas, or those that export indirectly by selling to a customer that then exports their products.
 

a. International Trade Loan Program - Helps small businesses engaged in international trade to retool or expand to better compete and react to changing business conditions. It can also help exporting firms to expand their sales to new markets or to re-shore operations back to the U.S.

b. Export Working Capital Program - Enables small businesses to fulfill export orders and finance international sales by providing revolving lines of credit or transaction-based financing of up to $5 million. Businesses could use a loan to obtain or retain overseas customers by offering attractive payment terms.

c. Export Express Loan Program - Allows access to capital quickly for businesses that need financing up to $500,000. Businesses can apply for a line of credit or term note prior to finalizing an export sale or while pursuing opportunities overseas, such as identifying a new overseas customer should an export sale be lost due to COVID-19.
 

f. Grants - SBA works with different organizations to provide federal financial assistance (grants) community resources for certain small businesses. Click here for more information.

5.  Office of U.S. Senator Christopher Murphy

a. Coronavirus Resources and FAQ Page from Senator Murphy's Office