Small Business Survival Resources During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Dear fellow small business owners:

During this time of national and international crisis, we must all do our part in remaining safe, protecting our families, and performing fundamental social distancing practices to stem this pandemic. Manny and I are deeply committed to help you and your business stay informed and to help in any way that we can.

Here are some resources for you to check out to learn more about what programs are in place, what rights you and your employees have, and other important information.

CARES Act Resource

Follow this link to get the guide to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act just passed in Congress to help small businesses survive this crisis. Included in the guide is information on the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, Small Business Debt Relief Program, $10,000 advance on anSBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) and other ways this Act will help Americans.

1. From the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship: Small Business & Entrepreneurship Guide to the CARES Act

Family Leave Resources:

1. From the U.S. Department of Labor: Families First Coronavirus Response Act: Employee Paid Leave Rights
2. IRS Newsroom: Treasury, IRS and Labor announce plan to implement Coronavirus-related paid leave for workers and tax credits…
3. ADP Explanation article: Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA)

Business Resiliency Resources:

1. Nevada Small Business Development Center (SBDC): Business Resiliency Plan
2. Nevada SBDC office: (775) 784-1717

SBA Disaster Loans:

1. SBA General COVID-19 GuidanceSBA Disaster Assistance
2. Scroll down to see the SBA loan options SBA Coronavirus Relief Options
3. Note: PPP is no longer available to employers. This link now goes to the general loan page of the Small Business administration. SBA Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) SBA Loans – SBA Paycheck Protection Program

Nevada Unemployment FAQ’s

1. NV Unemployment Insurance FAQ’s

OSHA Resources For Employers and Workers

1. Overview of Covid-19 Information for Employers and Workers
2. Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19

Your Online Security:

Please remember to never send any sensitive information over an unencrypted public internet connection. This includes employee social security numbers, drivers license, your bank account numbers, and any similar information that hackers can use to steal your’s or your employee’s identity. If you need to provide us with an employee’s personal information for payroll services, we will make arrangements to pick up the appropriate documents.

When logging onto a secure website like you bank, make sure that the website you visit has the security padlock on. Most browsers like Chrome and Firefox have the security padlock icon on the left hand side of the address bar. Clicking on it should reveal the security certificate information for each website. If the website does not use a security certificate, you may see a warning such as “Not Secure”.

You can read a great explanation of the security risks on HTTP sites (unencrypted) versus HTTPS sites (encrypted) here on this Cloudflare article. No personally sensitive information should be given or online forms filled out on any website that does not show the security padlock icon. Always look for the padlock icon before giving information online.

You should also watch out for emails that contain links. Make sure they are from a trustworthy source. Watch out as well for emails from someone you do not know. When we sign up for many free sources of information, we get emails from a reputable service. But, many phishing hackers will try to look like a legitimate source of information in their emails but when you click on their link, it takes you to a site designed to get you to reveal your personal financial information like bank account numbers, credit cards, Etc.

As always, feel free to call either Charley or Manuel if you have any questions or concerns about your business’s online security, bookkeeping, or payroll.