Coronavirus Resource Guide

Our Team is updating this daily as more information becomes available to support you, your business, and your employees.

Updated 3.27.20.

Stay Home, Stay Safe Order

Click here to view the full Home/Stay Safe Order

Click here to view the VRGA/VSFA Document Description of the Stay Home, Stay Safe Order

The Governor has ordered all non-essential/non-critical businesses to shut down and directs all non-essential residents of the state to remain at home throughout the duration of the order, leaving only for essential reasons. While we cannot provide legal advice on whether your specific business can stay open, we can steer you in the right direction.

Find out here what businesses are deemed Critical and Essential.
We have also compiled a list of businesses in the state providing shopping hours for vulnerable members of the community, curbside pickup and other services in response. If your business is offering special services in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, please reach out to us to be added to this list.
Please check this list for a store near you
Businesses deemed critical to public health and safety are urged to offer Curbside Pickup to the extent possible. We strongly encourage you to offer this service. If it is not possible, here are ways to limit exposure to your employees and customers along with helpful links.

If you are staying Open with access to the public

We are recommending this approach: The best approach is to close the store at nighttime for restocking and deep cleaning and open the doors to the “most vulnerable” first thing in the morning – before possible contamination.
Limiting the number of customers to ensure enough space between people in your store
Use Creative ways to set up your store so that people have 6 ft of space between them if possible.
Do this checklist: Coronavirus and Preparedness Checklist
Watch this Training Video
Printable Symptoms of Coronavirus
Know who is at risk for serious illness.
You can Post this Food Stock Flyer on your Food Retail Business
Educate your employees about the virus, including its transmission and prevention, Print this: Stop the Spread of Germs
Hang this sign in your public/employee bathroom: Handwashing Steps
Read this Cleaning and Sanitation Guide for Food Retail
Fully read this Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID 19
Watch this webinar on What You Need to Know About COVID-19 - Food Safety from UVM Extension and VRGA/VSFA
All businesses with 500 employees or less need to Hang this Poster Up as per the Families First Coronavirus Response Act Here is the FAQ on that Poster.
Offer curbside delivery or home delivery if possible
Offer other shopping hours, specific to vulnerable populations.
If needed, we have compiled a list of Commercial Cleaning Services in Vermont, VRGA is not promoting these companies, we are just compiling the information as it comes in for your benefit.

If you are staying Open Without Access to the Public

Retail stores that are deemed non essential but still need to fill online orders and offer curbside pickup and delivery. Here are some steps to take to make sure your employees and customers stay safe.

Offer Curbside Pickup and Delivery.
Maintain a distance of 6 feet between persons;
Require employees to practice appropriate hygiene measures, including regular, thorough hand-washing
Require employees who are sick remain home; and
Regularly clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
Do this checklist: Coronavirus and Preparedness Checklist
Watch this Training Video
Printable Symptoms of Coronavirus
Know who is at risk for serious illness.
Educate your employees about the virus, including its transmission and prevention, Print this: Stop the Spread of Germs
Hang this sign in your public/employee bathroom: Handwashing Steps
Fully read this Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID 19
Watch this webinar on What You Need to Know About COVID-19 - Food Safety from UVM Extension and VRGA/VSFA
All businesses with 500 employees or less need to Hang this Poster Up as per the Families First Coronavirus Response Act Here is the FAQ on that Poster.
If some of your employees can work from home, here is the Employee For from Home Guide

Once you have completed this checklist, Check out this Webinar on Creative Ways to stay in business: Your Store is Closed but your business Isn't

If you are Temporarily Closing your business

Direct your employees to contact the Department of Labor Unemployment Insurance Line
- Existing UI Claimants: Claimant Assistance Line - 877-214-3331
- Employers: UI Employer Services - 802-828-4344
- General questions: Department of Labor Commissioner’s Office - 802-828-4301
- The online unemployment claim system is now live at: https://labor.vermont.gov/unemployment-insurance
See Financial Assistance Section Below
See Childcare Section Below
Check out this Webinar if it applies to you Your Store is Closed but your business Isn't

Federal Response Acts

CARES Act — the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act. The comprehensive aid package includes direct payments to Americans, an expansion of unemployment insurance and billions in aid to large and small businesses. As of March 26th, the bill has been passed by the senate and resides with the House. The House has scheduled a vote for Friday, March 27th. Once the bill is passed by the House, it will move ahead for signature from President Trump. We are closely monitoring the passage of this bill and will provide a summary of the final passed bill when it is available. Read the current full bill here. Read the most recent article from 3/27/20 Here

FFCRA Act — The Families First Coronavirus Response Act included a number of provisions related to paid family/medical leave and paid sick leave, including a tax credit for employers intended to fully cover the cost of leave: The effective date of this legislation is April 1st, 2020. Read the full bill here. Find out specifics of the leave provided by the bill in the document below.

View this Document for more information on Paid Sick Leave/Medical Leave/Family Leave

Financial Assistance

Federal Funding

The Agency of Commerce and Community Development is seeking to understand and document the impacts of COVID-19 on Vermont businesses. Please fill out the linked survey with accurate information to allow the ACCD to learn the true impact of COVID-19 on business in the state. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/vtcovid19
As of Friday, 3/20/20 SBA Economic Injury Disaster loans are now available to Vermont small businesses! To apply for a federal disaster loan visit: https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/ Documents that may be requested when applying include recent federal tax return, profit-and-loss statement and balance sheet. For more information, call the SBA disaster assistance customer service center at 1-800-659-2955 (TTY: 1-800-877-8339) or e-mail disastercustomerservice@sba. gov.
- These loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills that can’t be paid because of the disaster’s impact. The interest rate is 3.75% for small businesses. The interest rate for non-profits is 2.75%.
- SBA offers loans with long-term repayments in order to keep payments affordable, up to a maximum of 30 years. Terms are determined on a case-by-case basis, based upon each borrower’s ability to repay.
- SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loans are just one piece of the expanded focus of the federal government’s coordinated response, and the SBA is strongly committed to providing the most effective and customer-focused response possible.
- For additional information, please visit the SBA disaster assistance website at SBA.gov/Disaster.
- Process for Accessing SBA's Disaster Relief Lending Updated 3/17/20
- Business Income Insurance Information from the Department of Financial Regulation

Private Lending

We are not personally promoting these lenders, we are just compiling the information as it comes in for your benefit. If you have heard of other lending opportunities please reach out to us. If you are a member of these banks they are offering special loans for people effected by COVID-19.

New England Federal Credit Union

North Country Federal Credit Union

General COVID-19 Updates:

Childcare

State of Vermont makes web-based form available to help ensure Childcare for essential workers.

The State, with the help of Let's Grow Kids, has developed a web form to more easily collect information to connect the families of essential workers with childcare in schools and licensed childcare programs that are operating to provide services now through April 6, 2020, while school dismissal and general childcare service closures are in effect. Families can also call 2-1-1 ext. 6 or 1-877-705-9008 to speak to a childcare referral specialist. Eligible families can complete the form and the State, through the Agency of Education for school-aged children through grade 8, and Child Development Division for younger children, will work to connect essential workers who need childcare with options for their children.

Essential workers who need help finding childcare should visit this website or call 2-1-1 ext. 6
Childcare programs with questions should call or email the Child Development Division: 800-649-2642 (option 3) or ahs.dcfcddchildcarelicensing@vermont.gov
Schools with questions should contact the Agency of Education: 802-828-1130

Alcohol Sales: Take Out, Curbside and Delivery Orders Allowed

Per a directive from Governor Phil Scott, a temporary allowance has been made for take out, curbside and delivery sales of spirits, spirit based, malt and vinous beverages given the following:

1st class licensees are hereby authorized to allow for take-out, curbside pickup and delivery of beverage alcohol, including spirit-based drinks and malt and vinous product accompanying food orders for off premise consumption.
2nd class licensees shall be authorized to allow for delivery and curbside pickup of un-opened containers of spirits, spirit-based product and malt and vinous product.

If you are considering offering this, we strongly encourage you to contact your Insurance agent to discuss your current Liquor Liability coverage.

The permissible hours for delivery shall be from 10:00 a.m. until 11:00 p.m. For deliveries, the licensee shall be able to travel from town to town or from place to place carrying orders for delivery of any alcohol product they are licensed to sell and authorized to deliver hereunder without a delivery permit, provided the following conditions are met:

The person making the delivery is at least 18 years old and is certified to sell or
serve alcohol by the Board.
All deliveries shall be in person to a physical building or residence.
Licensees shall maintain an inspectable log of all deliveries made and such log shall
at a minimum include:
- Name of recipient and physical address in Vermont to where the product was
  delivered;
- How ID was verified;
- A signature of recipient at least twenty-one (21) years of age;
- Complete description of the product and quantity delivered;
- Time of delivery;
- The name of the employee making the delivery

This directive is effective until April 15th, 2020.

Bottle Redemption

Vermont Bottle Bill Redemption Requirements Temporarily Waived Through April 30th, 2020

Vermont DEC has taken this step in allowing retailers and redemption centers to temporarily stop redemption services to reduce unnecessary person-to-person contact and possible virus transmission and to let grocers to focus on restocking food shelves and other needed work to assure availability of groceries. This temporary period will end on April 30, 2020 unless extended by DEC. Decisions about whether to close or stop redeeming during this time are solely at the discretion of the retailer/redemption center.

We ask all Vermonters to take necessary precautions to keep themselves and their community members safe. For further information on COVID-19 in Vermont, and Vermont’s response, visit https://www.healthvermont.gov/response/infectious-disease/2019-novel-coronavirus. For questions about Vermont’s bottle bill, or this pause in enforcement, contact Becky Webber with the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation at 802-522-3658, or rebecca.webber@vermont.gov.

Labor Issues

CURRENT LABOR LAW: The Vermont Department of Labor has issued guidance to staff. "Staff shall not deny claims for able and available issues due to a claimant being isolated or quarantined at the direction of a health care official due to potential or verified exposure to the COVID-19 disease. These individuals shall be treated as temporarily unemployed through no fault of their own, and able and available, for the purpose of UI benefits."

PROPOSED LAW: The Vermont House has on Friday passed H.681, a bill that proposes to relieve employers of charges for unemployment benefits paid to an employee for a maximum of four weeks because:

the employer:
- temporarily closed their business at the request of health officials
- voluntarily closed their business due to the actual exposure of workers at the business to COVID-19
- an employee has been directed by a health official to quarantine as a result of COVID-19

In order for employers to be relieved of UI charges, the bill does require that the employee be rehired when the business reopens or upon completion of the employee's period of quarantine.

The bill still needs to be considered by the full Senate before being reviewed by Governor Scott.

What VRGA is doing for YOU

VRGA President Erin Sigrist has been in touch with many state officials asking questions on your behalf, once the question has been answered it will be on our FAQ Page. Our Team is working around the clock to make sure we have up-to-date information for you. Here are some of the requests, press releases, and questions we are bringing to the conversation with your state officials.

Check out our FAQ Page on questions already answered.

Erin's Letter to the Director of Vermont Emergency Management on suggestions on which businesses should be deemed Essential vs Non-Essential.

See Erin on WCAX on March 22nd with Vt. Agriculture Secretary Anson Tebbetts discussing the impact of the coronavirus on the state's dairy industry and food systems; Erin discussed assistance available to help small businesses and the challenges grocers are having keeping the shelves stocked.

Call to Action That All Vermont Retailers & Grocers Offering Designated Shopping Hours for Vulnerable Populations

Request to postpone the ban on single-use plastic bags which is set to take effect on July 1, 2020.

What Our Members Are Doing: Be Creative. Be Safe.

Many of our members have tried to come up with creative ways to provide the goods people need while limiting their exposure to COVID19. Try thinking outside the box, react in the moment but prepare for the coming months.

Please check this list for a store near you We have compiled a list of businesses in the state providing shopping hours for vulnerable members of the community, curbside pickup and other services in response. If your business is offering special services in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, please reach out to us to be added to this list.

Visit this webpage on downtown districts and what the rest of Vermont is doing.

Short Term: Curb Side Pickup, Free Local Delivery, (PLEASE CALL YOUR INSURANCE AGENCY TO LET THEM KNOW - most insurance companies are being good allowing this right now BUT you should definitely call your agent and let them know you are doing this as it may require some extra coverage), focusing on online sales or phone sales.

Long Term: Talking with their banks, learning about Small Business Loans, Cancelling Events, Focusing on Online sales if possible, staggering staff hours so that employees have little to no contact with each other.