“As infection rates increase in 41 other states, our numbers continue to steadily decline, thanks to the hard work of New Yorkers and our incremental, data-driven opening. Yesterday, we had our lowest death toll since the pandemic began – and with no fatalities in New York City. While today’s numbers are encouraging, we must remain vigilant.”
Gov. Andrew Cuomo
Updates: Tuesday, July 21, 2020
- Alaska, Delaware, Indiana, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Nebraska, Virginia and Washington Meet Metrics to Qualify for Travel Advisory
- State Liquor Authority Suspended License of Four Bars and Restaurants Downstate
- 1.29 Percent of Yesterday’s COVID-19 Tests were Positive
- 2 COVID-19 Deaths in New York State Yesterday – Lowest Since First Fatalities of Pandemic, No Fatalities in New York City
- Confirms 855 Additional Coronavirus Cases in New York State – Bringing Statewide Total to 408,181; New Cases in 46
Brand Story & Effective Customer Engagement: This webinar will outline the elements and process of brand story development and how to craft and tell compelling, authentic stories that connect with your audience and lead to sales. Click here to register for this virtual event which will take place Wednesday, July 22, at 12 PM EDT
Fast Track to business Start-Up: This intensive 20 hour virtual workshop will be offered in August. Fast Track is facilitated by a certified New York SBDC Business Advisor and includes a variety of presenters who are experts in all facets of business start-up. The workshop also meets the requirements of SEAP through the Department of Labor. Click here to register for the August 11th, 13th, or 18th
- The Mid-Hudson region entered Phase 4 on Tuesday, July 7th, 2020.
- Phase 4 includes guidelines for:
- higher education institutions
- Pre-K to Grade 12 Schools
- low-risk outdoor arts & entertainment, which includes outdoor zoos, botanical gardens, nature parks, grounds of historic sites and cultural institutions, outdoor museums, outdoor agritourism, local agricultural demonstrations and exhibitions; and other similar institutions/activities
- low-risk indoor arts & entertainment, which includes indoor museums, historical sites, aquariums, and other related institutions
- media production
- professional sports competitions with no fans
- malls
- Regions in phase 4 are permitted to hold gatherings of up to 50 people so long as appropriate social distancing and face covering requirements are followed.
- Please continue to monitor the New York Forward website for more details on phase 4 and updates on the reopening of the state.
Key COVID-19 Resources
- Centers for Disease Control: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCov/
- The CDC has published safety guidance for communities, workplaces, schools, and events here.
- New York State
- NYS Official COVID-19 Website: www.ny.gov/coronavirus
- Novel Coronavirus Hotline (available 24/7): 1-888-364-3065
- Mental Health Hotline: 1-844-863-9314
- Sign up for Daily Updates on the evolving COVID-19 situation from New York State
- New York Forward: Guidance on the Reopening of New York State
- COVID-19 Travel Advisory
- NYS PAUSE Enforcement Assistant Task Force Guidance
- Empire State Development: https://esd.ny.gov/
- Guidance on Essential Businesses (last updated June 29th at 10:25 AM)
- New York Forward Business Lookup Tool
- COVID-19 Business Resources
- Help NYS Get COVID-19 Test Kits, Medical Supplies and Personal Protective Equipment
- COVID-19 Business Mentor NY Volunteer Task Force: New York State has partnered with business leaders to create a dedicated group of volunteers across different NYS industries – from law firms to financial professionals – to assist business owners with questions related to the impact of COVID-19. Learn more here.
- NY Forward Loan Fund (NYFLF) provides flexible and affordable loans to help small businesses that did not receive federal COVID-19 assistance.
- NYFLF targets the state’s small businesses with 20 or fewer full-time equivalent (FTE) employees, nonprofits and small landlords that have seen a loss of rental income
- ESD Detailed Guidance for the NYFLF: https://esd.ny.gov/nyforwardloans-info
- Pre-applications are open on a rolling basis. The pre-application can be found at http://nyloanfund.com/
- Small Business Development Center
- U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) COVID-19 Guidance and Loan Resources
- The Small Business Owner’s Guide to the CARES Act – You can find information on Congress’s recently passed Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act here.
- U.S. Department of Labor
- The U.S. Department of Labor has published a tool that will quickly walk you through a handful of options to determine your eligibility as an employee for paid sick leave or paid expanded family and medical leave
- Eventually the tool will also be useful for employers to understand your obligations to provide paid sick leave or paid expanded family and medical leave, though this aspect of the tool is still in development.
- New York Power Authority’s (NYPA) ReCharge NY Program
- New York State Department of Labor (DOL)
- NYS DOL FAQ for Employers with COVID-19 related Questions
- How to File for Unemployment Insurance Benefits
- FAQ related to Unemployment Insurance (UI) Benefits that incorporates new federal law passed on March 27, 2020.
- NYS DOL Shared Work Program: New York State’s DOL Shared Work Program helps businesses manage business cycles and seasonal adjustments. Shared Work lets businesses keep trained staff and avoid layoffs. Employees can receive partial unemployment insurance benefits while working reduced hours. Full-time, part-time and seasonal employees are eligible. More information can be found on this program here.
- NYS Department of State has issued an FAQ for Code Enforcement Personnel on Recent Executive Orders Enacted to Address the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency
- NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets COVID-19 Guidance
- NYS Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation COVID-19 Page
- NYS Office of the New York State Comptroller COVID-19 Updates and Resources
- New York Fed Coronavirus Resource Hub
- IRS Resources
- FAQs for COVID-19 Related Tax Credits for Required Paid Leave Provided by Small and Midsize Businesses here
- Publication 5419, New Employer Tax Credits: The Employee Retention Credit. The Employee Retention Credit is designed to encourage employers to keep employees on their payroll. The refundable tax credit is 50% of up to $10,000 in qualified wages paid to an employee by an eligible employer experiencing economic hardship related to COVID-19. This credit is for wages paid from 3/13/2020 through 12/31/2020. You can find the link here.
- Women’s Enterprise Development Center COVID-19 resources
- Census Bureau COVID-19 Data Hub: The U.S. Census Bureau released a new resource page to help federal agencies, businesses, and communities make decisions related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Similar to the Census Bureau’s resources pages created during natural disasters, this resource page includes information on population demographics, economic indicators and businesses.
- Central Hudson’s Back to Business funding program has committed up to $1 million in economic development support to provide local small businesses with grants to help pay down new working capital loans taken with participating local banks.
Wear a Mask. Get Tested. Save Lives.
Thank you,
ESD’s Mid-Hudson Team