News from the Virginia Chamber

Using Bluetooth Low Energy technology developed by Apple and Google COVIDWISE notifies users who have likely been exposed to reduce the risk of infection and help Virginia stop the spread. COVIDWISE does not rely on personal information or location data and participation is on a completely voluntary basis.

How It Works (Taken Directly from https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/covidwise/)

Download the free app from the iPhone App Store or Android Google Play Store.

Once you opt-in to the notification system, the Exposure Notifications System will generate an anonymous token for your device. To help ensure these anonymous tokens can't be used to identify you or your location, they change every 10-20 minutes.

Your phone and the phones around you will work in the background, without draining your battery or data, to exchange these privacy-preserving anonymous tokens via Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology. This is a passive process that begins once you opt-in and functions without the app open.

On a daily basis, your phone downloads a list of all the anonymous tokens associated with positive COVID-19 cases and checks them against the list of anonymous tokens it has encountered in the last 14 days.

If there's a match, the app will notify you with further instructions from your public health authority on how to keep you and the people around you safe.

Learn more information here.

Virginia Ready Initiative Incentivizes Retraining to Get Virginian's Back to Work 

June 29, 2020 — Alexandria, VA — The Virginia Ready Initiative (VA Ready), a newly established nonprofit organization formed in response to the economic hardships created by COVID-19, today announced details of its plan to help thousands of unemployed Virginians access the training needed to get back to work.

VA Ready and its partners – 20 of the Commonwealth’s leading businesses – provide incentives for motivated, out-of-work Virginians to reskill for in-demand jobs in high-growth sectors. Upon achieving their new credential in one of approximately 30 selected training programs, “VA Ready Scholars” receive a $1,000 Credential Achievement Award and are offered opportunities to interview at many of Virginia’s best companies.

Further partnering with Virginia’s 23 community colleges and their existing FastForward initiative, a state-sponsored workforce credential grant program, VA Ready marries Virginia’s business needs with high-quality, short-term training programs offered by community colleges. Funded through philanthropic donations and company contributions, VA Ready recognizes and rewards student initiative to gain new skills.

Read the full press release here.

The Safety and Health Codes Board of the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry has developed a new emergency regulation, as directed by Governor Northam, that creates additional requirements for Virginia employers related to workplace safety due to COVID-19. The Board was also tasked with considering public comments that were offered during the brief 10-day window.

Over 3,300 comments were submitted to the Board for consideration. The Board met several times to discuss the proposed regulation, review the public comments, and develop necessary amendments. On July 15, these discussions concluded, and the Board submitted the final emergency regulation for implementation.

On Tuesday, July 28 the Virginia Chamber and featured experts discussed the final regulation and its impact on Virginia businesses.

View the webinar and other available resources here. 

New Employment Laws in Virginia Increase Employer Liability Exposure

Information and resources below have been provided by ECKERT SEAMANS. 

On July 1, 2020, new laws went into effect in Virginia that drastically change the employer-employee relationship in the areas of:

employment discrimination, non-competition agreements, wage and hour laws, and worker classification.

Every employment action employers take from July 1, 2020, forward must take these new laws into consideration.

More information can be found here

Virginia Chamber's "Get Virginia Back to Work" Website

View the “Getting Virginians Back to Work” plan along with a host of other important resources for businesses on the Chamber’s newly launched website www.GetVaBackToWork.com

Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) — use the Lender Match tool to find lender where can apply. Entities can obtain zero-fee loans up to $10 million running from February 15, 2020 through June 30, 2020. Up to 8 weeks of average payroll will be forgiven if the business retains its employees and their salary levels.

Emergency Economic Injury Grant — use the Economic Injury Disaster Loan application. It includes $10 billion to provide an advance of up to $10,000 for businesses and nonprofits that apply through SBA within 3 days.

Small Business Debt Relief Program — use the Economic Injury Disaster Loan application. Once an entity applies for EIDL, the SBA has three weeks to respond. EIDLs are loans up to $2 million with interest rates of 3.75% for businesses and 2.75% for nonprofits. If an entity receives the loan January 31 to June 30, 2020, it can apply for a PPP loan or refinance for PPP

The U.S. Department of Treasury shared information regarding the Paycheck Protection Program. Please review the resources provided by the U.S. Department of Treasury below and visit their webpage for additional information.