Reopen CT Business Roundtable – TODAY, May 14
Updates from the Governor’s Office
Reopen CT Advisory Group Business Roundtable – TODAY
Members of the Reopen Connecticut Advisory Group’s business committee will hold a roundtable discussion TODAY, May 14, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. The members will discuss the impact of COVID-19 on the state’s business community. Members of the public who have questions for the panel can email their inquiries to reopen@ct.gov. The discussion will be broadcast live by the Connecticut Network (CT-N) and available to watch on its cable TV channel and through a live stream on CT-N.com.
Click here to read more.
CT Receives Largest Shipment of PPE to Date
The state has received its largest shipment to date in the fight against COVID-19. The shipment includes 6 million surgical masks, 500,000 protective masks, 100,000 surgical gowns, and 100,000 temporal thermometers. The PPE is in the process of being sorted and will then be delivered to frontline workers, including first responders, hospital staff, long-term care facility staff, direct care providers, and other people on the front lines.
Click here to read more.
Guidelines for Phase One Reopening
The governor has released guidelines for the Phase One reopening of some Connecticut businesses. This includes hair salons and barber shops, offices, retail and malls, and the outdoor-only sections for restaurants, museums, and zoos. The ultimate decision to reopen will rest with the owners and/or management of these businesses and organizations.
Click here to read more.
Recommendations for Phased Reopening of Colleges/Universities
Members of the Reopen Connecticut Advisory Group’s education committee have submitted recommendations to the governor for the reopening of the state’s colleges and universities. According to the announcement, institutions will be able to reopen this fall, including residential facilities, assuming health conditions continue to improve. How this is done will ultimately be at the discretion of each school.
Click here to read more.
Free Advisory Support for Student Loan Borrowers
Many college students and recent graduates have struggled financially since the COVID-19 crisis began. The governor announced last week that Summer, a social enterprise that assists student loan borrowers, is providing Connecticut residents financially impacted by the COVID-19 crisis with free assistance managing their student loans.
Click here to read more.
Important Expansion of COVID-19 Testing
Governor Lamont and the CT Department of Public Health (DPH) have suspended a regulation that required a doctor’s referral for residents to receive COVID-19 testing. Now, if you want to be tested, you will no longer need permission from your medical provider. To facilitate access to testing, pharmacists are now allowed to administer tests as well. For all testing sites in Connecticut, reservations will continue to be required, and there is no cost for the test, even for people who are uninsured.
Click here to read more.
Resources
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CTAlerts: To subscribe, text the key word COVIDCT to 888-777
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News from the governor’s office: Click Here
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FAQ Document: Click Here
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Governor’s COVID-19 Executive Orders affecting…
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Business, Labor, and Housing: Click Here
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Health and Human Services: Click Here
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Education and Childcare: Click Here
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State & Local Government Operations & Elections: Click Here
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Relief for Small Businesses
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has resumed accepting applications for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). This program allows small businesses to apply for loans with a maturity of two years and a 1% interest rate. SBA notes that these loans are forgivable, provided the employers keep all employees on the payroll at the same pay/salary level for eight weeks, and provided the money is used for payroll, rent, mortgage interest, or utilities. At least 75% of the forgiven amount must be used for payroll.
Click here to read more.
Unemployment Assistance for Self-Employed
The Connecticut Department of Labor (CT DOL) recently announced that the full application (steps one and two) for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) is now available. PUA is unemployment assistance for self-employed individuals and others who are not eligible for traditional unemployment benefits through the state.
Here is a brief summary of the two-step process to apply for PUA:
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Step One: Pursuant to Federal guidelines, self-employed individuals, including independent contractors and “gig” workers, are required to first apply through the Connecticut unemployment system. This can be done by selecting the “blue button”. See graphic below.
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Step Two: Before proceeding to this step, applicants must receive a determination notice (UC-58) in the mail from the Connecticut Department of Labor prior to accessing and applying for benefits under the newly-designed Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program. When you receive the determination notice, you may then proceed to step two using the “red button”. (See graphic again for illustration).
CT DOL encourages claimants to select “direct deposit” for their payment method if possible. This will expedite the process. You can set up direct deposit by selecting the “green button”.
Click here to begin the process.
Here is an FAQ document from CT DOL detailing PUA and other unemployment assistance programs: Click Here
Latest COVID-19 Data for CT
Below are the latest data from the Connecticut Department of Public Health:
- Statewide Confirmed COVID-19 Cases: 34,855
- Current Statewide COVID-19-Related Hospitalizations: 1,158
- Statewide Confirmed COVID-19 Fatalities: 3,125
- Confirmed COVID-19 Cases in Griswold: 19
- Confirmed COVID-19 Cases in Lisbon: 5
- Confirmed COVID-19 Cases in Plainfield: 27
- Confirmed COVID-19 Cases in Sterling: 2
- Confirmed COVID-19 Cases in Voluntown: 8
This data is current as of 8:30 p.m. on 5/12/2020.
Additional Resources
As a reminder, these are the best regularly updated global, federal, and state resources:
Global
World Health Organization: Click Here
Federal
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Click Here
State
State of Connecticut Web Portal: Click Here
CT House Republicans Resource Page: Click Here
As always, never hesitate to contact me with questions or concerns about the state and local response to the COVID-19 pandemic, or any state government issues. I am more than happy to speak with you directly, provide more information if possible, and to serve as a resource for you and your families.
Email: Brian.Lanoue@cga.ct.gov
Best,
State Rep. Brian Lanoue
45th General Assembly District
Griswold, Lisbon, Plainfield, Sterling, Voluntown