Covid-19 Update: Federal Stimulus and More Rules for Retail and Restaurants

Join Our Virtual Roundtable Monday: The Hartford Courant wrote up our first Virtual Roundtable, which was held this past Monday. Click here to read the article. Our next call is this Monday from 12-1 p.m. This is an opportunity to share how you're grappling with the Covid-19 crisis, get ideas from your peers, and support each other. Executive Director Adam Gutcheon and Jim Burke from the Town of Windsor will review the current state of the crisis, state and federal business relief measures, and what the Town and Chamber are doing in response. We will follow up on several items raised at last Monday's session. Click here for more information, including how to join.

More Rules for Restaurants: Gov. Lamont issued an Executive Order last night for restaurants and any other business selling food for off-premises consumption. These businesses now must use best efforts to:

Limit entrance of customers into their locations to the minimum extent necessary to pick up and/or pay for orders
Use touchless payment systems
Require remote ordering and payment, whether by telephone, computer, mobile application, or other technology.

Businesses are not required to acquire or purchase new ordering or payment technology in order to comply with this order, Drive-through ordering and pickup, and in-person payment or cash payment, are still allowed where there is no reasonable alternative.

More Rules for Retail: In the same order, the Governor required retailers that are still open to use best efforts to:

Ensure customers maintain six feet of distance between each other
Manage any resulting lines to maintain six feet of distance while people are waiting to enter
Where practical, employ touchless payment technology if they already have such technology available.

Federal Stimulus Before the House: The Senate passed over $2 trillion in stimulus funds earlier this week. The bill is now before the House of Representatives. In addition to the well-publicized cash payments to households of $1200 per person, the bill includes new funding and programs to help get small business through the crisis.

Pausing the payment of payroll taxes, which will grant businesses relief so they have more cash to keep employees on their payrolls.
Lending and grants for small businesses that will enable this sector to endure through the crisis. If employers maintain their payrolls until June, the portion of the loans used for payroll costs, interest on mortgage obligations, rent, and utilities would be forgiven. Self-employed individuals will be able to access these loans.
Establishing a bridge loan facility, similar in kind but much larger in scale than the State of Connecticut's zero-interest, 12-18 month loan program announced yesterday, that will enable businesses to continue to pay employees and provide essential operations for a time on far less, or no revenue.

These three programs represent $4.9 billion in aid to small business in Connecticut.

Online Community Benefit Auction Begins in One Week: A pandemic can't stop the Windsor community from coming together to support each other! The Chamber Cares 2020 Auction will be held online for the first time from Friday, April 3, to Friday, April 10. In addition to its previously announced beneficiaries, the auction will benefit local charities providing relief to households experiencing loss of income due to the Covid-19 crisis: the Windsor Food & Fuel Bank and the Neighbors in Need Fund of the United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut. Additional Covid-19 relief charities may be announced before the auction begins. Register to participate now at windsor2020.givesmart.com.

The Windsor Food & Fuel Bank works to ensure that no Windsor resident goes hungry, is cold, or is without basic necessities. The Neighbors in Need Fund assists individuals and families in central and northeastern Connecticut in economic distress due to the Covid-19 crisis with food, emergency assistance, and childcare. Previously announced beneficiaries include the Windsor Education Foundation, Music School at Sound Crossing, and the Chamber.

In addition to dozens of unique items and experiences for sale, the Chamber Cares auction will feature $25 surprise boxes, containing at least $25 in gift cards to local businesses.

Register to participate now at windsor2020.givesmart.com. If you'd like to donate an item or gift certificate, please reply to this email.

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