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Resources for Chamber Business Members

We encourage all members to protect their workforce while continuing operations.

  • Small Business Paycheck Protection Program | Application to Take to Lender
    • The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) from the U.S. Small Business Administration provides small businesses with funds to pay up to 8 weeks of payroll costs including benefits. Funds can also be used to pay interest on mortgages, rent, and utilities.
      • Fully Forgiven | Funds are provided in the form of loans that will be fully forgiven when used for payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent, and utilities (due to likely high subscription, at least 75% of the forgiven amount must have been used for payroll). Loan payments will also be deferred for six months. No collateral or personal guarantees are required. Neither the government nor lenders will charge small businesses any fees.
      • Must Keep Employees on the Payroll - or Rehire Quickly | Forgiveness is based on the employer maintaining or quickly rehiring employees and maintaining salary levels. Forgiveness will be reduced if full-time headcount declines, or if salaries and wages decrease.
      • All Small Businesses Eligible | Small businesses with 500 or fewer employees—including nonprofits, veterans organizations, tribal concerns, self-employed individuals, sole proprietors, and independent contractors— are eligible.
      • When to Apply
        • Starting April 3, 2020, small businesses and sole proprietors can apply.
        • Starting April 10, 2020, independent contractors and self-employed individuals can apply.
        • Apply quickly, there is a funding cap.
      • How to Apply | You can apply through any existing SBA 7(a) lender or through any federally insured depository institution, federally insured credit union, and Farm Credit System institution that is participating.
  • U.S. Chamber Provides Coronavirus Emergency Loans Small Business Guide and Checklist
    • This is the first of a number of resources the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is developing to help connect members with the resources recently approved by Congress in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, in response to the ongoing pandemic.
    • Congress has approved $350 billion in emergency loans for small businesses to help them keep workers employed. In fact, if small businesses maintain or later restore their payrolls, they may not have to repay some — or possibly any — of the loan.
    • Follow the link above for a guide and checklist from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to help your small business through the process.
  • Michigan Chamber Offers All COVID-19 Resources at No Charge
    • Webinars | Register for the FREE content here: https://webinars.michamber.com/on-demand-webinars. Future COVID-19 related webinars will be available at no charge in both live and on-demand formats.
      • Current topics include:
        • Sweatpants and Laptops: Dealing with Remote Work and Legal Concerns
        • What Employers Need to Know about Families First Coronavirus Response Act
        • Unemployment Benefits During COVID-19
    • Posters | There is currently a mandatory update to federal posters in response to the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. During the stay at home order, employers should post it in an intranet or email it to all employees. Once the order is lifted it must be posted through December 31.
      • Follow this link to be sure you are in compliance.
    • Full Toolkit | The Michigan Chamber continues to update its toolkit with resources.
      • Current content can be found at https://www.michamber.com/coronavirus-toolkit and includes reliable links to:
        • The executive order and templates for essential employee and supplier letters
        • Unemployment benefits
        • Financial assistance for small business
        • Federal legislation and benefit information
        • HR resources
        • Primary-resource COVID-19 information
To aid in the evaluation of the economic impact of the current situation, the Michigan Chamber of Commerce is strongly encouraging participation in an online survey. This survey will be useful by increasing legislature awareness of hardship on YOUR business. The information gathered will be passed onto lawmakers. This survey can be found HERE. Please encourage other business owners to fill it out as well.
For BCBS members, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Michigan has provided the following Group Customer COVID-19 FAQ as part of initiatives designed to help members get the care they need during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. The FAQ can be accessed HERE.

UPDATE (4/3/2020): Blue Cross Expands Telehealth Services and Coverage for COVID-19 Treatment

Free On-Demand Webinars

Gov. Whitmer Announces Stay-at-Home Order for Michigan Through at Least April 13

Governor Whitmer Signs “Stay Home, Stay Safe” Executive Order

Governor directs all non-critical businesses to temporarily close, all Michiganders to stay home or six feet away from others during COVID-19 crisis

 

LANSING, Mich. -- On March 23, 2020, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed the “Stay Home, Stay Safe” Executive Order (EO 2020-21), directing all Michigan businesses and operations to temporarily suspend in-person operations that are not necessary to sustain or protect life. The order also directs Michiganders to stay in their homes unless they’re a part of that critical infrastructure workforce, engaged in an outdoor activity, or performing tasks necessary to the health and safety of themselves or their family, like going to the hospital or grocery store.

Effective at 12:01 am on March 24, 2020, for at least the following three weeks, individuals may only leave their home or place of residence under very limited circumstances, and they must adhere to social distancing measures recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention when they do so, including remaining at least six feet from people from outside the individual’s household to the extent feasible under the circumstances.

To view executive order 2020-21, click the link below:

** List of Essential Services allowed to remain open can be found in Executive Order No. 2020-21, Item numbers 8 and 9. **

Urgent Request from MidMichigan Health Chief Medical Officer

Clarification for Employers Regarding COVID-19 Testing

We are experiencing a number of local employees calling or coming to our offices and emergency departments, indicating that their employers have directed them to get tested for COVID-19 and/or to receive a doctor’s note as a condition of return to work.

In an effort to ensure sufficient supplies, the state has issued protocols for determining who is eligible for COVID-19 testing. MidMichigan Health will be following these protocols, which are subject to change as recommendations change. At this time, we are unable to test upon request or to provide return-to-work notes.

READ DETAILS & FULL REQUEST HERE

How to Help from Home Resource Page Now Available

Curious how you can offer help in our community from home? Check out our new How to Help from Home resource page, being updated regularly. Let us know what we're missing! Email rrollin@mt-pleasant.net with tips.

Chamber Updates, Ways to Support Local & More

Hello Mt. Pleasant Area Chamber Members!

 

In light of our current situation regarding COVID-19 precautions, please note the following changes to our calendar:

 

  • March 18 Business After Hours at Hunter’s Ale House is CANCELLED (to be rescheduled)
  • March 20 Spring Legislative Breakfast is RESCHEDULED for Friday, May 8, 7:30 – 9:00 am
  • March 25 YPN Social Comedy Night at Ascend is CANCELLED
  • April 16 New Member Orientation is postponed, date TBD
  • April 22 Business After Hours at Ascend will be RESCHEDULED, date TBD
  • April 24 YPN Statewide Conference will be RESCHEDULED, date TBD

 

The Chamber will honor reservations and paid sponsor promotion benefits on the affected dates. Contact us with questions. Future events will be evaluated based on the recommendations of MDHHS.

Ways to Support Local
While there are new restrictions by Governor Whitmer (HERE) issued March 16, 2020, we strongly encourage you to patronize local business as much as possible!

 

Many small and local businesses have very low profit margins and this temporary change may harshly impact them. Many businesses will be happy to accommodate a customer if there is any way possible to avoid loss of profit, so please call them to ask what options are available. If none are available, support them on social media by interacting with their pages, by liking and sharing their posts.

 

The money you save from the imposing of these restrictions can still be used for local business to regain economic loss once the restriction has been lifted.
SPEND if you can, SAVE if you can’t, SHOP later! Keep our local economy going as much as possible.

 

We are happy to promote through social media promotions that you may have going on despite the situation. If you are still open and able to provide your service, please let us know and we can share the information.

To support your fellow Chamber members, please view our online business directory HERE.

For updates on local events, COVID-19 and economic legislation:
Michigan Chamber of Commerce www.michamber.com
State of Michigan www.michigan.gov
Center for Disease Control www.cdc.gov
City of Mt. Pleasant www.mt-pleasant.org

Please follow all proactive state and county health officials’ recommendations in order to decrease the spread of this virus.
Most importantly, remember that the current situation is temporary. Stay positive and find some joys in each day as much as possible. Every storm runs out of rain eventually and we will all get through this! Spring is STILL on its way to be followed by SUMMER so we still have good things to look forward to.

Best to you all and please let us know if we can help with anything,

 

Mt. Pleasant Area Chamber of Commerce Staff

989-772-2396

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