• UPDATED 4.24.20 — Exposure Prevention, Preparedness, and Response Plan (English) – Download here
• Checklist for Employers and Employees (English) – Download here
• Checklist for Employers and Employees (Spanish) – Download here
• Employee Notification of Exposure (English) – Download here
• Employee Notification of Exposure (Spanish) – Download here
• Essential Industry Employee Notification Letter (English) – Download here
• COVID-19 Tool Box Talk (English) – Download here
• COVID-19 Tool Box Talk (Spanish) – Download here

• OSHA Considers Employer’s Good Faith Efforts When Enforcing Compliance (4.17.20) – Read the Full Story here
  • OSHA Memorandum: Discretion in Enforcement when Considering an Employer’s Good Faith Efforts During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic (4.16.20)
• OSHA Sheds Light on COVID-19 Recording Requirements (4.10.20) – Read the Full Story here
  • OSHA Memorandum: Enforcement Guidance for Recording Cases of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)(4.10.20)

• OSHA Issues Enforcement Policies on Respiratory Protection (4.5.20) – Read the Full Story here
  • OSHA Memorandum: Enforcement Guidance for Respiratory Protection and the N95 Shortage Due to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic (4.3.20) — This memorandum gives employers relief to extend the use of National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)-approved respirators and to permit the reuse of them.
  • OSHA Memorandum: Enforcement Guidance for Use of Respiratory Protection Equipment Certified under Standards of Other Countries or Jurisdictions During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic (4.3.20) — This second memorandum allows employers in certain circumstances to use respirators approved by another country, where NIOSH-approved respirators are not available.

• Colorado COVID-19 Construction Industry Guidance (4.1.20) – Download here 
  This document, published by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, provides specific guidance for construction companies operating under the Public Health Order 20-24 (below).

• Colorado Updated Public Health Order 20-24 Implementing Stay At Home Requirements – March 26 to April 26, 2020 (3.26.20) –
  Download here
  This is an update to Governor Polis’ stay at home order for the entire state of Colorado. Construction is defined as a critical industry and can continue. It’s essential, however, that companies follow OSHA, CDC, and Colorado Dept of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) guidelines.

• FEDERAL LOAN/GRANT OPPORTUNITIES (April 22 2020 Update):

  Congress is expected to approve another $310 billion in funding for the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) this week. In addition to the $310 billion for PPP, the new package includes $75 billion for hospital aid and $25 billion to expand testing — and also sets aside funding for PPP loans from smaller banks to reach more of the smallest and minority-owned businesses, particularly in under-served communities and rural areas. The legislation also provides $60 billion for the SBA’s separate Economic Injury Disaster Loan program.

• Business Owner’s Guide to the CARES Act, published by US Chamber of Commerce – Download here 

• Questions & Answers regarding Paycheck Protection Program Loans, published by the Small Business Administration (SBA) and US Department of the Treasury – Download here
  The $2 trillion stimulus bill became law March 27. In addition to $1,200 direct payments to many individuals and expanded unemployment benefits, the bill includes:

  $349 billion in federally guaranteed loans to businesses with fewer than 500 employees under the Paycheck Protection Program. Loans will be available up to $10 million. In certain circumstances, such as using proceeds to pay employees, the loans can be forgiven. The loans will be made primarily through Small Business Administration-certified lenders, although other FDIC banks and credit unions can become authorized to make the loans. 

  The US Treasury Dept. and Small Business Administration began accepting applications from small businesses April 3. Independent contractors and the self-employed were able to start applying April 10.

  SBA has posted information on the Paycheck Protection Program on its website, including a sample loan application form. It offers Lender Match, a free online tool to connect a business with SBA-approved lenders within 48 hours.
  
  PPP loans will have these features:
  — Interest rate of 1%
  — Two-year maturity
  — Six-month deferral of first payment
  — 100% guarantee by SBA
  — No collateral
  — No personal guarantees
  — No borrower or lender fees payable to SBA

  The SBA is also offering low-interest Economic Injury Disaster Loans to qualifying businesses. These loans provide working capital of up to $2 million to help overcome temporary loss of revenue. The interest rate is 3.75% for small businesses with repayment of up to 30 years. Applicants are encouraged to apply online.
  
  The CARES Act also provides an Economic Injury Disaster Loan Advance of up to $10,000 which will not have to be repaid.

• Main Street Business Lending Program — The Federal Reserve announced April 9 its Main Street Business Lending Program for small and midsized businesses that will complement SBA programs. According to the Fed, the program will offer four-year loans to companies employing up to 10,000 workers or with revenue of less than $2.5 billion. Principal and interest payments will be deferred for a year. Eligible banks may originate new Main Street loans or use Main Street loans to increase the size of existing loans. Companies seeking Main Street loans must make reasonable efforts to maintain payroll and retain workers and follow compensation, stock repurchase and dividend restrictions that apply to the direct loan programs under the CARES Act. Firms that have taken advantage of the PPP may also take out Main Street loans.
  
  If you are interested in participating in this program, contact your local lender. Eligible lenders include U.S.-insured depository institutions, U.S. bank holding companies and U.S. savings and loan holding companies. More than 300 institutions participate.

STATE OF COLORADO Relief Fund Options for Small Businesses:
As the CARES Act funding came and went, Colorado organizations collaborated and stepped up to the plate to take care of our small business community. Below is a short list we’ll keep updated with new opportunities as we learn about them:

• Survive & Thrive COS
  Apply for emergency relief funding of up to $25,000. Offering mentoring as well.
• Pikes Peak Enterprise Zone
  Applications accepted as of Monday, April 20 and the deadline is May 2, 2020.
  Find out if your business is located in the enterprise zone: https://choosecolorado.com/doing-business/incentives-financing/ez/

OTHER Funding Options:

• Facebook
  Offering $100M in cash grants and ad credits to small businesses
  https://www.facebook.com/business/boost/grants

Families First Corona Virus Response Act (FFCRA)– Employer’s Guide to Paid Leave Programs, published by the US Chamber of Commerce – Download here

This legislation took effect April 1 and will run through Dec. 31, 2020. The law requires employers with 500 or fewer employers to provide paid leave to certain employees in a temporary expansion of the Family and Medical Leave Act, and it requires employers to provide paid sick leave. Small businesses with fewer than 50 employees may be exempt from providing paid leave because of school closings or childcare unavailability if the leave would jeopardize the business as a going concern.

The act allows payroll tax offsets to employers. US Dept of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division posted a Power Point presentation (PDF) with detailed information on how to participate. Likewise, the IRS, Labor and Treasury departments have all posted details about the payroll tax credits.

For employers, the Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act and Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act require:

• • Two weeks of paid sick leave at an employee’s regular pay rate when the employee can’t work because they are quarantined.

• • Two weeks of paid sick leave at two-thirds of regular pay because the employee is a caregiver for reasons related to Covid-19.

• • Up to an additional 10 weeks of paid leave at two-thirds of regular pay for an employee who is a caregiver for reasons related to Covid-19.

The US Department of Labor has provided the following guidance: 

• • Fact Sheet for EMPLOYEES (English) – Download here
  • Fact Sheet for EMPLOYEES (Spanish) – Download here
  • Fact Sheet for EMPLOYERS (English)– Download here
  • Fact Sheet for EMPLOYERS (English) – Download here
  • Questions & Answers that address how small businesses can obtain an exemption, how to count eligible employees and calculate pay under the Act, and how to answer employees’ questions about emergency medical leave.
  • FFCRA Employee Rights Poster (English) – Download here
  • FFCRA Employee Rights Poster (Spanish) – Download here

• Colorado Unemployment and Workshare Programs — Colorado workers who have been laid off, furloughed or have been assigned fewer hours due to COVID-19 can file for unemployment insurance benefits here.
  • April 20, 2020 Update: Unemployment benefits are now open for self-employed individuals, independent contractors, and gig workers. Thanks to the CARES Act they will also be paying out the extra $600 per week on top of the regular benefit. The extra pay will be “retroactive to March 29th and will begin hitting active claimants accounts as soon as next week for weeks of unemployment prior to April 15th. 
    
    The CARES Act also extended unemployment benefits to 39 weeks from the standard 26. 

    The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) is also offering support services for business leaders including consultation on layoff aversion strategies, onsite workshops for employees in transition, job placement assistance and information on unemployment benefits here. 

    CDLE has also laid out its Work-Share Program, which allows employers to reduce staff hours and pays prorated unemployment benefits to those employees as an alternative to layoffs.