Athens-Clarke County will be sending a limited number of brief emails to businesses with Business Occupation Tax Certificates in Athens-Clarke County with important coronavirus updates over the coming weeks.

SBA Emergency Loan Programs Additional Information & Webinars on Friday, April 24

With additional CARES Act funding soon forthcoming, the University of Georgia Small Business Development Center (SBDC) has scheduled additional webinars to help small-business owners in Georgia navigate the application process for federal assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Webinars are available Friday, April 24 at either 10:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., or 4:00 p.m.

Information about the webinar and login information, as well as SBA loan information, can be found at: www.georgiasbdc.org/georgia-small-business-recovery.

The website is updated frequently and also includes the informational PowerPoint used in the webinars, a video recording of a webinar from earlier this week and an updated listed of frequently asked questions and responses.

The informational website was created by the SBDC in partnership with the Georgia Department of Economic Development and the Georgia Department of Community Affairs.

The CARES Act, signed into law on March 27, allocates federal funds to help small businesses keep workers employed amid current circumstances. The CARES Act provides funding for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), modifies the existing Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, and provides immediate loan payment relief for current SBA 7(a) borrowers.

Unemployment Information

What are the COVID-19 rules for unemployment eligibility?

Section 34-8-93(b), certain individuals unable to work due to the COVID-19 public health emergency who have an expectation of returning to work when the emergency ceases shall be considered involuntarily unemployed through no fault of their own. This rule shall apply to all claims filed on or after March 14, 2020, including but not be limited to an individual:

a) Quarantined or self-quarantined on the advice of a licensed medical professional;
b) Sixty (60) or more years of age;
c) With a recognized medical condition making that individual particularly susceptible to COVID-19;
d) Who is a caregiver and resides with someone identified in part (b) or (c) of this subparagraph; or
e) Who is a custodial parent or legal guardian of a minor whose school is closed due to COVID-19 and is unable to secure childcare.

Authority: O.C.G.A. Secs. 34-8-2-6(a)(4), 34-8-70, 34-8-93(b), 34-8-190, 34-8-191.

What if an employee does not feel safe returning to work?

GA Department of Labor is encouraging employees to work with their employers on plans to return to work. If a decision is made by an employee to separate from his/her place of employment, the employee has the right to file an individual claim where an eligibility determination will be made based on the facts presented in the case.

What if an employee is making more money on unemployment and does not want to return to work?

When business operations resume, employers should stop submitting employer filed claims on behalf of their employees. If an employer opens back up slowly and their employees are working reduced hours, employers can continue to file employer filed claims on behalf of their employees reporting any wages they are paying.

Pursuant to the emergency rule on March 26, 2020, an individual can make up to $300 per week without negatively impacting their maximum weekly benefit amount, allowing employees to work reduced hours and still qualify for state unemployment benefits.

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For more unemployment information, visit the Georgia Department of Labor website at https://dol.georgia.gov/.

New Governor's Order Released on April 23 for May 1-13 & Some Earlier Dates for Certain Provisions

The Governor's Office released a 26-page order earlier this evening with new details for shelter-in-place provisions from May 1-13 and for some earlier dates for certain businesses and provisions to re-open.

Some of the areas covered include:

General Provisions
Definitions
Sheltering in Place
Restaurants & Dining Services
Industry, Commerce, Organizations & Non-Profits
- Critical Infrastructure and not Critical Infrastructure
- Public swimming pools, performance venues, operators of amusement rides and bars
- Retail businesses, including food establishments such as retail and wholesale grocery stores
- Gyms and fitness centers
- Beauty shops, beauty salons, barber shops, schools of cosmetology, schools of hair design, schools of esthetics, schools of nail care, and schools of barbering, home beauty shops, beauty salons, barber shops, body art studios, estheticians, hair designers, persons licensed to practice massage therapy, tanning facilities
- Indoor movie theatres and cinemas
- Bowling alleys
- Persons working outdoors without regular contact with other persons, such as delivery services, contractors, landscape businesses, and agricultural industry services
Healthcare
Education & Children
County and Municipal Governments
Drivers' Services
Enforcement
Miscellaneous

The order suspends any local ordinances that are more or less restrictive than the order.

The Athens-Clarke County Mayor & Commission passed a resolution on April 21 strongly encouraging residents and visitors to continue sheltering in place and for businesses to continue observing restrictions and curtailed services until further notice.

Read the full Governor's order online (PDF) and read the Mayor & Commission resolution.

Paycheck Protection Program Assistance

Have you been able to seek financial relief through the Paycheck Protection Program? The funds are available through your local financial institution, provided they are participating in the Paycheck Protection Program.

If you have not yet contacted your bank, please do so immediately. If your bank cannot provide support or if you don’t have a local bank, a collaboration of local organizations (Oconee, Oglethorpe and Athens Area Chambers, the Northeast Georgia Business Alliance, and Envision Athens) will provide assistance in getting you directly connected to a local lending institution.

Please take a few minutes to answer questions using the link below, to help connect you with a local banker: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1OrzPCPUmJBLiLW60W_Wxf-1obbq5ruVhqkxqzw8gXCw/edit.

You may also send an email to: NEGaPPPhelp@athensga.com.

Please know this does not mean there is a guarantee of any loan being approved, and that local institutions are working long hours taking care of existing customers. Participating banks have agreed to take on a number of non-customers that meet the criteria if they come through this initiative.

Reminder: Athens Business Support Email at BusinessSupport@accgov.com

If you have questions related to coronavirus concerns for your business or seeking help with business / workforce / non-profit resources and opportunities, send an email to BusinessSupport@accgov.com and have your questions answered by ACCGov Economic Development or a local partner organization.