COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Update
OVERVIEW
The health and safety of our members, customers and event attendees and speakers is a top priority for IPC. We are carefully monitoring current developments on COVID-19 (Coronavirus) and actively staying on top of World Health Organization (WHO) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advisories. IPC is committed to providing you relevant and timely information.
COVID-19 Resources
IPC's collected a number of resources that our members have found useful during the pandemic.
Small Business Loan Assistance
- The Small Business Administration is implementing a host of new programs aimed at providing low-interest loans and resources to small- and medium-sized businesses.
- Paycheck Protection Program: provides a direct incentive for small businesses to keep their workers on payroll with loans up to $10 million for firms with 500 or fewer employees.
- Disaster Loans: provides small businesses with working capital loans of up to $2 million; firms are eligible to apply for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan advance of up to $10,000.
- Apply here.
- SBA Express Bridge Loans enable small businesses who currently have a business relationship with an SBA Express Lender to access up to $25,000 quickly.
- BA is providing financial reprieve to small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic for current 7(a), 504, and microloans.
Federal Tax Guidance
- The Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service are responsible for implementing many COVID-19 tax-related provisions enacted into law.
- Tax Credits: provided for SMEs to recover costs associated with Coronavirus-related leave for workers.
- Tax Filing Deadline: extended until July 15, 2020.
- Employer Payroll Taxes: Employers are allowed to defer payment of the employer share of the Social Security tax; the deferred employment tax must be paid over the following two years.
Defense
- Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) memorandum on Managing Defense Contracts Impacts of the Novel Coronavirus
- Defense Pricing and Contracting (DPS) resource page for defense contractors
- Office of Industrial Policy resource page for the defense industrial base
Critical Infrastructure:
- The Department of Homeland Security has issued an updated advisory on identifying essential critical infrastructure workers during the COVID-19 response.
Trade
- The U.S. Trade Representative is inviting public comment on modifications to the 301 tariffs that may assist in the U.S. response to COVID-19.
- Comments can be submitted here.
Labor
- The U.S. Department of Labor oversees many employer-employee issues associated with the COVID-19 response.
AIHA
Back to Work Safely ™ guides for general office settings and small manufacturing, repair and maintenance shops
CDC
- COVID-19 Situation Summary
- Information for Travel
- Interim Guidance for Businesses and Employers
- Interim Guidance for Manufacturing Workers and Employers
EPA
- List N: Disinfectants for Use Against SARS-CoV-2
List N includes products that meet EPA’s criteria for use against the virus SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus that causes the disease COVID-19. - Guidance for cleaning, disinfecting, and maintaining/restoring water quality
- Overview of environmental health information regarding COVID-19
- Temporary Enforcement Discretion due to COVID-19
The temporary policy makes it clear that EPA expects regulated facilities to comply with regulatory requirements where reasonably practicable, and if not, to return to compliance as quickly as possible. To be eligible for enforcement discretion, the policy requires facilities to document decisions made to prevent or mitigate noncompliance and demonstrate how the noncompliance was caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
National Safety Council
NAM
OSHA
- Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19
A resource from the government that provides steps all employers can take to reduce workers’ risk of exposure to the virus SARS-CoV-2, how to classify worker exposure, and what to do to protect workers at all levels of classification. - Overview of worker health and safety topics regarding COVID-19