UPDATE FROM SOUTHWESTERN OREGON WORKFORCE INVESTMENT BOARD
Ten months of pandemic and uncertainty have created enormous challenges for our small businesses. Their importance to our region has never been more apparent; local residents and leadership understand that continued support now is essential to their, and our, recovery.
More robust financial assistance arriving from state and federal government, and many of our larger local employers are increasingly listing excellent employment opportunities that empower local purchasing. In the meantime, however, SOWIB and our local communities are committed to assisting large and small businesses with all available resources.
Please stay safe: despite recent surges, we’re holding up. Oregon’s rates of COVID infection and COVID-related deaths are STILL among the very lowest in the country. Our region has fared better than most; we’re poised to take our first steps toward economic recovery.
Each county’s trajectory of COVID infections for the preceding two weeks is measured weekly. Based on that data, each county is advised of its assessed risk level, triggering required precautionary measures commencing the week following measurement. A description of the risk framework and associated requirements may be found here.
Status changes effective January 14 were announced on January 7, based on Infection rates for the two weeks ending January 2nd. Effective January 14th Coos County moves from “high” to “extreme” risk, Curry County moves from “extreme” to “high,” and Douglas County remains at “high” risk.
For continuing detail on each county’s data and changes of status, click here.
New Federal Stimulus Package
Key provisions of the recently-passed stimulus package appear below. For more detail, please register for the “Pandemic Finance” seminar listed above. (Further adjustments are expected after January 20.)
- For Businesses: More than $284 billion for new or second forgivable PPP loans, including amounts dedicated to very small businesses.
- $20 billion for new forgivable loans and debt relief for businesses in low-income communities, to be available via the Small Business Administration.
- For Workers: All unemployment benefits to include an additional $300 per week through March 14, 2021.
- One-time Economic Impact Payment of $600 to individuals earning up to $75,000 per year and $1,200 to couples making up to $150,000 per year, with $600 for each child dependent.
- Continues and expands the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program, providing unemployment benefits for, e.g., self-employed and gig workers, and other workers ineligible under traditional criteria.
- Continues Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) program assistance for those who have exhausted regular state unemployment benefits.
- Increases the maximum number of weeks an individual may claim benefits.
- $10 billion in block grants to states for child care assistance, especially for essential workers, and operating costs for child care providers.
For Education:
$82 billion will be provided under various criteria to assist K -12 schools and institutions of higher education.
State Tax Relief for Businesses and Individuals
If you and/or your business anticipate difficulty paying 2020 taxes due to the economic impacts of COVID-19, please see https://www.oregon.gov/dor/Pages/COVID19.aspx summarizing tax relief provisions enacted by the Oregon Department of Revenue. Provisions include
- 100% penalty waivers on 2019 income tax due from businesses that are impacted by COVID-19.
- 100% interest waivers on 2019 income tax due from small businesses that are impacted by COVID-19 and that have less than $5 million in gross receipts.
- Continuing to provide extended payment plans of up to 36 months for any taxpayer impacted by COVID-19 when entering into an approved payment plan.
Intern Zach Willsey and volunteer help Kyle and the SOWIB team distribute PPP in Coos Bay.
Free PPE for Businesses (remember the Bandon Chamber still has PPE if you need it)
SOWIB was able to distribute an unexpected large shipment of PPE from Business Oregon in early December with the assistance of local partners. In all, the project involved 1500 cases of material, including several hundred thousand masks; 90,000 pairs of gloves; and more than 1,000 gallons of hand sanitizer. SOWIB staff arranged temporary storage, transportation, publicity, and distribution logistics, and labor for four one-day-only events. Distribution sites were established in Brookings, Bandon, Gold Beach, Coos Bay, Myrtle Creek, and Roseburg. Invaluable assistance was received in Curry County from SOWIB board members Georgia Nowlin and Bryan Grummon, from Brookings High School administrators, and from the Curry Public Library. In Douglas County, we’re especially indebted to Tim Allen of South Umpqua Rentals in Myrtle Creek for generously providing badly-needed storage space prior to the event, amplifying outreach to businesses, and allowing distribution on his premises. Also in Douglas County, the Roseburg News-Review worked to publicize the event and volunteered its parking lot and supportive employees to create a second Douglas County distribution point.
Rapid CARES Act Response
Each of our region’s three counties acted quickly in early December to ensure that unexpected additional CARES Act funds reached local businesses. The funds ($1.4M for Douglas; $1M for Coos; $700K for Curry) had been sent to each county by the state on very short notice, with a December 28 deadline for redistribution to businesses.
Within days of receipt, each of our counties had established its own eligibility criteria and application/award systems. All three chose to have the award process managed by Coos Curry Douglas Economic Development Corporation. Through the combined efforts of CCD, SOWIB, and multiple other regional business organizations, businesses quickly received notice of these “first come, first served” opportunities. Applications for more than 100% of available funds were received within hours.
Rural Youth and the Future
-
A SOWIB-sponsored November webinar (Zoom video recording: https://bit.ly/35Oav2K shared the results of a major study providing new perspectives on youth engagement strategies with more than 40 states, regional and local education policy-makers and practitioners. The study was conducted in rural Oregon (Coos County) and rural Maine by a team co-led by OSU Assistant Professor Dr. Mindy Crandall. Assisted by school administrators, the researchers collected more than 2,000 anonymous student responses to questions on a wide range of topics. Taken together, and analyzed from multiple perspectives, the data provide new insight into students’ perceptions and motivations for engagement – or disengagement – from education and workforce perceptions.
Kyle Stevens
Executive Director
