Covid
Pause on Roadmap to Recovery
While we expected a new evaluation of movement between phases, the governor announced a pause on the roadmap to recovery. On April 16, Pierce County moved backwards into phase 2. This meant reduced capacity for retail stores, indoor dining, gyms, salons, and more. The capacity limit dropped from 50% capacity permitted in Phase 3 to…
Read MoreRestaurant Revitalization Fund
The SBA is offering a Restaurant Revitalization Fund to provide emergency assistance to qualifying businesses. Qualifying food establishments who have experienced revenue loss due to the pandemic are eligible to apply for grant funds. Awards range from a minimum of $1000 to a maximum of $5 million per location ($10 million max per business.) The…
Read MoreVaccines at Tacoma Dome
Starting Tuesday, April 27, Covid vaccines will be available at the Tacoma Dome for drive thru or walk up service. Pierce County Department of Emergency Management has shared the following information in a press release on the 21st. Tacoma Dome is home for Pierce County’s vaccination effort for six weeks starting April 27. Pierce County…
Read MorePaid Leave Tax Credit
Eligible employers can now receive a paid leave tax credit for allowing their workers paid time off for Covid vaccines. Small and midsize employers, and some governmental employers, can claim refundable tax credits. These credits reimburse businesses for the cost of providing paid time off for COVID-19 vaccinations. Additionally, they include leave taken to recover…
Read MoreShort-term Extension of Property Tax
A short-term extension of property tax may be a bit of relief for certain businesses. Businesses that can show a loss of a quarter of their revenues due to Covid can apply for the extension. Additionally, qualifying businesses will not need to pay penalties or interest. To request an extension and a payment plane, be…
Read MoreRoll Back Relief Grants Pierce County
Roll back relief grants are now available to qualifying businesses and non profits. On Friday, April 16, restrictions rolled back to Phase 2 of the Healthy Washington Reopening. That means reducing capacity for indoor activities back down to 25%. These restrictions significantly impact businesses such as restaurants and gyms. Pierce County has created a grant…
Read MoreRisk of Rolling Back to Phase 2
There’s a risk of rolling back to phase 2 this coming Monday. Both the DOH and the governors office expressed concerns about a roll back for 3 counties, including Pierce. The Healthy Washington Roadmap to Recovery plan evaluates risks for each individual county. Measurements will be evaluated on Monday, April 12, and any change in…
Read MoreScaleUp: The Rebuild Edition
Small businesses looking to grow despite Covid should consider ScaleUp: The Rebuild Edition. This program is a partnership between WA Department of Commerce and Thurston Economic Development Council. It offers 2-hour online classes once a week. Sessions last for 8 weeks. Up to 100 small businesses can participate. The training provided is valued at $1,599.…
Read MoreTax Credit Up to $33,000
How does a Tax Credit of up to $33,000 per employee sound? The expansion of the employee tax credit could mean that for your business. But like so many of the programs that are out there to help business through the pandemic, a lot of questions surround it. NFIB is offering a free webinar on…
Read MoreVaccine Eligibility April 15
Vaccine eligibility extends to all Washington residents on April 15. Well over a million people in Washington are fully vaccinated. More have received one dose, but plenty are still eager for their turn. My college aged daughters are among them. The anticipated date moved up, in part due to an uptick in cases, which could…
Read MorePPP Extension
The Economic Development Board sent a letter about PPP extension to us here at the chamber. Don’t fear if you haven’t yet applied for PPP. The deadline has been extended. Last month, Congress extended the PPP deadline until the end of May. Eligible businesses have extended time to submit their applications. Lenders have more time…
Read MoreExtended Deferment for EIDL
For those worried about paying back loans, an extended deferment for the EIDL has been announced. The U.S. Small Business Administration announced this for all disaster loans, including the COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan program. All SBA disaster loans made in 2020 will have a first payment due date extended from 12-months to 24-months from the date…
Read MoreNew Round of Working Washington Grants
The chamber is once again sharing information on on a new round of Working WA grants. This information is from a press release from the WA State Dept of Commerce. Round 4 of the Working WA Grants will open through the Washington State Department of Commerce on March 29. Business owners can find information about…
Read MoreExpansion of Employee Retention Tax Credit
A recent expansion of the employee retention tax credit means a significant number of small businesses will now qualify. Beginning on January 1, 2021 the credit expires on January 1, 2022. Previously, the credit was for 50% on $10,000 in qualified wages for the entire year, with a maximum of $5,000 per employee. The new credit jumps to 70% on…
Read MoreIn Person Learning
The Governor has announced that all students, K-12 must begin receiving at least some in person learning. The deadline for schools implementing a hybrid model depends on the age of the student. The model must include both on campus and remote learning options. All elementary schools (kindergarten thru 5th or 6th grade, depending on the…
Read MoreVaccines for Phase 1B, Tier 2
Starting Wednesday, March 17, eligibility extends for vaccines for Phase 1B, Tier 2. The eligibility pool included teachers earlier this month. This update includes workers in agriculture, food processing, grocery stores, public transit, firefighters and law enforcement, and others. People 16 and older who are pregnant or have a disability that puts them at high-risk…
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