Windham Region Chamber of Commerce

DianeN

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Windham Region Chamber Is Member of America’s Recovery Fund Coalition-Working For YOU

The Windham Region Chamber of Commerce, a member of the Save Small Business Coalition, has joined forces with hundreds of other chambers and business associations to advocate for a fund to help businesses, and America, recover from the COVID pandemic.  America’s Recovery Fund Coalition brings together more than 150 members across retail, restaurants, theaters, live events, the travel industry, and financial services to advocate for a fund to help businesses recover. Together, we represent 58 million American workers – 45% of the American workforce.

When people hear America’s Recovery Fund Coalition represents 45% of the entire national workforce, they want to learn a bit about what exactly we advocate. So, we created a graphic (below) to put all the important pieces in one place: who the coalition is, how the fund will work, and why we need it now–not months from now.

Politics and policy will continue to shift –but one thing will remain constant: America’s recovery story will be written by the decisions policymakers make today. America’s Recovery Fund will provide the certainty and support businesses and working families need to reverse the current economic downturn.  Our voices MUST be heard by our legislators.  The Windham Region Chamber has been working for months with our local municipalities, state officials and our national delegation to represent our members and other small businesses in our region, their needs, their concerns and their obstacles.  But we have not only told them the bad news.  We have offered REAL solutions that will keep our local businesses viable.  Hours and hours of conversations, letter writing, press conferences, meetings and petitions are what we have been diligently working on so that your VOICE is heard in Washington and at the State Capitol.

Here is information about the America’s Recovery Fund:

HOW CAN YOU HELP US?

Tell your Congressional reps that Small Business needs additional funding to survive that offer financial and legal protections, and workforce development for small businesses, their employees, and the chambers of commerce and organizations who help them thrive. It is imperative that we help small businesses recover and get back up to full speed. The economy of our communities, states and nation depend on it.

Use this link https://tinyurl.com/SSBCnov and you can send your letter in just one click.

Thank you for helping to save and reinvigorate our small business communities nationwide. #savesmallbusiness #SSBC

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Windham Region Chamber Joins SAVE SMALL BUSINESS COALITION

The Windham Region Chamber of Commerce is proud to announce that it has joined the nationwide movement to save small businesses and is the first chamber from Connecticut to do so.  The Save Small Business Coalition is a group of over 200 chambers of commerce and business associations across the nation created to address the issues and concerns generated from the COVID pandemic.  This coalition is not about one single industry, this is about all small businesses across the nation that need funds right now to stay afloat to maintain the continuity of their business.   We are asking for extraordinary emergency action by the Government to empower an urgent solution that currently doesn’t exist.

For many months, communities across our nation have seen their local businesses make difficult decisions to reduce hours, lay off employees, and sadly, in some cases, close their doors for good.  Many businesses have not qualified for disaster loan programs and some cannot afford to incur additional debt.  With guidelines changing constantly and business owners trying desperately to meet the requirements, an environment of financial uncertainty has been created.

The SSBS’s latest call to action has been a letter to congress asking for an immediate “Phase 4” bill that includes:

Paycheck Protection Program Extension and Enhancement:

  • Broaden the definition of forgivable expenses to include costs associated with protecting employees and customers and expand the period during which expenses qualify for loan forgiveness.
  • Simplified good faith certification for loan forgiveness of loans under $150,000.
  • Expansion of eligible borrowers to include all non-profits including 501(c)(6) organizations with no more than 300 employees as long as PPP funds are not used for lobbying.
  • Authorization of a second round of loans for small businesses experiencing revenue reductions of 35% or more.

 

Workforce Development:

  • Provide $1.3 billion to assist job seekers access employment, education, training, and support services through a combination of new and existing programs.

 

Business Liability Protection:

  • Protection from COVID-19 related exposure liability for those employers who follow applicable federal, state, or local government guidelines for the protection of their employees and/or customers.
  • Protection from liability claims arising from COVID-19 medical care for healthcare workers and facilities.

 

State and Local Aid:

  • Assist state and local government’s experiencing one-time COVID-related expenses and revenue shortfalls based on fixed share of actual costs and revenue shortfalls within an overall funding cap.

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RETURNING COLLEGE STUDENT PROTOCOLS=QUARANTINE

Governors of New England states have come together with the following rules regarding college students and the Thanksgiving holiday:

  1. Students need to get tested BEFORE leaving college and traveling.
  2. Positive students need to quarantine at school, finish their quarantine, before traveling.**
  3. Once coming home to CT they will need to quarantine for 14 days.
  4. Colleges will not have students return after Thanksgiving and will have them finish the fall semester remotely (except labs).
  5. Students who do return back to campus will need to quarantine there for 14 days.

**Students who test positive may be able to travel home if they get the approval of their local Department of Health.

IT IS IMPORTANT THAT COLLEGE STUDENTS FOLLOW THE RULES so please make sure you share this information and help them understand the importance of following them.  If they are quarantining at home, it means that they are not spending time with the rest of the family.  They should be isolating and not coming into contact with others until their 14 days are over.

Here is the press release:

In order to stop college-related travel spreading COVID, colleges and universities in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware will be encouraged to make testing available to all students before they leave for Thanksgiving break and inform students and their families of states’ quarantine requirements. Any student who tests positive before they leave should be permitted to isolate on campus, or may travel safely with the approval of the local departments of health. Students who are already isolating or quarantining on campus must remain in place until completing their prescribed seclusion.

In addition, the governors are strongly recommending that colleges and universities finish their fall semesters by expanding remote instruction, enabling more students to learn from home for the few weeks between Thanksgiving and winter break rather than require students to travel back to campus and then back home again in December. Half of colleges and universities across the northeast have already indicated they will be fully remote between Thanksgiving and the end of their fall semester. Colleges and universities should prioritize on-campus programs for students who did not travel or who need in-person exams or clinical and laboratory experiences.

If colleges and universities do reopen for in-person instruction during this period, all returning students should receive COVID-19 tests and comply with relevant isolation and quarantine protocols. These institutions should also double down on precautions including frequent health screenings and surveillance testing due the increased risk of COVID exposure from student travel.

 

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CT SPORTS CANCELLED

The Governor’s Executive Order 9M has given DECD the authority to create guidelines for sporting events in CT, to include team sports and youth events.

TEAM SPORTS ON PAUSE  11/23/2020 THROUGH 1/19/2021
• Pause affects all sporting activities except for Collegiate and Professional. Teams that view themselves as professional must obtain approval from DECD.
• Masks now required in Gyms and Fitness Centers, no exceptions.
• “Team” is defined as a group of more than 4 people jointly engaged in an organized or recreational athletic activity on a court, field, etc.

WHAT IS PROHIBITED DURING TEAM SPORTS ON PAUSE
• Participation in High Risk Sports (other than conditioning/non-contact drills)
• All Team scrimmages, competitions, camps, clinics and tournaments (including all interscholastic, “pick-up” games, and other informal athletic activities)
• Participation in any out-of-state Team practices (including conditioning), competitions, camps, clinics and tournaments by CT residents
• Participation in competitions, camps, clinics, tournaments in CT by out-of-state Teams
• Teams are not able to break up into smaller groups to practice or compete (e.g. a 20 person team practicing or competing in groups of 4 or less at the same time and location is not allowed)

WHAT IS ALLOWED DURING TEAM SPORTS ON PAUSE
• Outdoor Recreation activities
• Individual and small group training (4 people or fewer)
• Individual and small group Moderate and Low Risk Sports (4 people or fewer)
• Gyms (masks now required, no exceptions, minimum 6ft spacing and other Sector Rule Safeguards)
• Group Fitness Classes & Dance Studios, Yoga, Martial Arts Instruction, etc.
• Reduced to 25% capacity (from 50%)
• Masks now required, no exceptions
• Subject to minimum 6ft spacing and other Sector Rule Safeguards
• School Gym Classes (No Team sports subject to Pause to be played)
• Professional teams that obtain DECD approval and Sanctioned (NCAA/NAIA) Interscholastic College Sports (Recreational/Club sports on college campuses are subject to Team Sports on Pause rules)

SWIMMING POOLS RESTRICTIONS

No more than 4 swimmers will be allowed in the pool at any time. Patrons on the pool deck area shall maintain 6 ft social distancing at all times.  Swimming instructors should wear waterproof masks.

For the updated Sector Rules go HERE.

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ALL CT ROAD RACES CANCELLED

Because of COVID the Governor has prohibited all organized in-person road races effective November 23.
Due to the recent spike in COVID-19 cases, the CT DECD updated its sector rules to prohibit all organized road races. This includes any turkey trots or holiday road races scheduled for the week of Thanksgiving. Residents are encouraged to stay among members of their households and avoid crowds.
We encourage everyone who normally participates to find out how they can donate to the organization or support their mission during these prohibitive times.

For a list of all road races, in-person and virtual, go HERE.

For a copy of the updated Sector Rules go HERE Under Outdoor Events Page 14

 

 

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BUSINESS TO BE FINED $10K FOR NON-COMPLIANCE

$10,000 FINES FOR NON-COMPLIANT BUSINESSES
Governor Lamond’s new executive order will allow Local Health Directors, District Health Directors and Municipal Designees to fine businesses $10,000 for violating the COVID rules on gatherings and size or capacity limitations outlined in the DECD Sector Rules.
Private gatherings at residential properties, religious, spiritual or worship gatherings and graduations (as long as they are not in settings governed by DECD) are exempt from this civil penalty. BUT they remain subject to all other executive orders and Sector Rules from DECD. R
Here is the language:  Anyone with “control over a nonresidential property who violates the size or capacity limitations set forth in the DECD Sector Rules and DECD Gatherings Capacity Limits or other rules issued by the Commissioner of Economic and Community Development as published on the DECD website (https://portal.ct.gov/DECD/Content/Coronavirus-Business-Recovery/Sector-Rules-and-Certification-for-Reopen) (the “DECD Rules”), as amended from time to time, shall be subject to a civil penalty in the amount of $10,000.00 per violation. Private gatherings at residential properties, religious, spiritual or worship gatherings, and graduations, so long as such gatherings are not held in settings otherwise governed specifically by the DECD rules, shall not be subject to such civil penalty, but shall remain subject to any and all other laws, regulations, orders or rules governing such activities. The civil penalty authorized by this Executive Order may be imposed by a Local Health Director, District Health Director, or a Municipal Designee appointed under Executive Order No. 7PP”
Here is the EXECUTIVE ORDER 9N