As COVID-19 continues to impact businesses below is a list of top considerations for businesses to review. 

Document Your Business Impacts from COVID-19

It is important that you document your impact from COVID-19 in order to be eligible for disaster loan funds. You can refer to the SBA Economic Injury Form to see what type of information you should be collecting such as revenue loss or employee staffing issues. Additional resources include the SBDC’s Information Page on Responding to COVID-19 and Business Oregon’s Small Business Navigator page.


Apply for COVID-19 Business Financial Support

There are different grants and loans being offered by federal, state, local, and nonprofit organizations. When applying for different funds be aware of eligibility requirements at the different levels of government or nonprofit, especially around being disqualified due to having been awarded federal funds.

Get more information regarding the SBA Economic Disaster Relief Program for small business, agricultural business and nonprofit disaster loan program here.

If you have any questions around COVID funding support, please reach out to the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) online or via email [email protected].


Stay Updated with the Latest Health Information

Review Lane County’s Public Health pages to get up-to-date information on the COVID-19 situation. The general guidelines are:

• Practice Good Hygiene
• Get Vaccinated
• Maintain 6’ social distance when possible
• Wear a face covering when social distancing is not possible
• Be responsible with meetings and limit travel
• Handle food carefully
• Stay home if you or your family member is sick
• Follow Updates from OSHA
  
  

Be Creative with Service Options

Depending on your business, there are many different options you can employ to continue service for your customers. Some examples are:

• Limit Service Hours
• Change your service hours based on your customers changing demands as well as including more cleaning of surfaces to help protect COVID-19 vulnerable populations
• Work from Home
• Have your employees self-quarantine and work from home when possible
• Delivery, Pick Up  and Online Sales

Contact Workforce Groups for Employee Changes

For both temporary and permanent layoffs, business owners should inform their employees in writing (electronic or hardcopy) that they are closing and that all employees are laid off until further notice.

Employers should also file a WARN (Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification), which can be emailed to [email protected].


Check Your Business Insurance and Plan for Potential Operation Changes

Are you properly insured? Make sure you review your insurance policy and understand what is covered, the documentation required, and if you need to add any additional policies based on your current situation. Also see if Business Interruption Insurance applies for you.

Planning is important and business continuity plans can prepare your business to be strategic in your response and weather any changes or stops to your operations, from COVID-19 to a winter storm.

Business Interruption Insurance Facts

No matter what the situation, these resources are useful for figuring out some general steps your business can take, organizations your business can contact, and starting the process for business preparedness.

• SBDC Lane Business Link
• Restaurant and Lodging Association (ORLA)
• Oregon Manufacturing Extension Partnership (OMEP)
• SBA’s Emergency Preparedness
• Best Practices for Disaster Preparedness and Recovery (Restore Your Economy)
• Business Readiness Self Assessment (American Red Cross)
• The U.S. Chamber Foundation’s “Resilience in a Box” program
• Assisting Businesses with COVID-19 Impact (OEDA)

• English Do/Don't Flyer
• Spanish Do/Don't Flyer

If you have tested positive for COVID-19, Lane County Public Health advises that anyone who tests positive observe isolation. A person who recovers from COVID-19 will still likely test positive for about 90 days after they are no longer contagious.  Therefore, it is not recommended to require a negative test result as a requirement to return to work.  Anyone they have had close contact with, including coworkers and customers,  should be notified and get tested.

link to Quarantine and Isolation resources 
link to Contact Tracing and Case Management information 
link to Testing information

The general guidelines are:

• Encourage Vaccination
• Maintain 6’ of Social Distance whenever possible
• Wear a face covering whenever social distancing is not possible.
• Practice good hygiene
• Stop handshaking – use other non-contact methods of greeting
• Clean hands at the door and schedule regular hand washing reminders by email
• Create habits and reminders to avoid touching faces and cover coughs and sneezes
• Disinfect surfaces like doorknobs, tables, desks, and handrails regularly
• Increase ventilation by opening windows or adjusting air conditioning
• Be responsible with meetings and travel
• Use videoconferencing for meetings when possible
• When not possible, hold meetings in open, well-ventilated spaces
• Consider adjusting or postponing large meetings or gatherings
• Assess the risks of business travel – limit when possible
• Handle food carefully
• Limit food sharing
• Strengthen health screening for cafeteria staff and their close contacts
• Ensure cafeteria staff and their close contacts practice strict hygiene
• Stay home if people are feeling sick or have a sick family member in their home

For both temporary and permanent layoffs, business owners should inform their employees in some form of writing that they are closing and that all employees are laid off until further notice.

Employers should also file a WARN (Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification), which can be emailed to [email protected].

Both of these actions help track the closures and provide workers with documentation to claim Unemployment Insurance.

To find out more information see the links below:
Oregon Dept of Employment Unemployment Application
COVID-19 Related Business Layoffs, Closures, and Unemployment Insurance Benefits (Oregon Dept. of Employment)
Information on WARN and How to Create One

Please be advised that all pandemic-related, federal programs ended Sept. 4, 2021. This includes Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC), Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC), and Mixed Earner Unemployment Compensation (MEUC). Claimants should still claim the week ending Sept. 4 in order to receive the final payment from these programs. If you have questions, reach out to your local WorkSource center for job search assistance and other free resources, or visit the Department of Employment resources web page to find help with rent, food, healthcare, and more.

Yes. Many of your local planning counters are open or providing modified service. Please contact your local jurisdiction to access their services:

• Lane County
• City of Eugene
• Springfield

It is important that you document your impact from COVID-19, such as revenue loss or employee staffing issues.

Federal, state, and other financial institutions, such as banks and credit unions, are an excellent place to seek assistance, specifically institutions with which you already have a relationship.

Here are some general steps we suggest businesses take around financial matters:

1. talk to your local bank about loan options or restructuring/deferment of any current loan payments,
2. look into the SBA 7a Loan Guarantee Program or 504 Loan Program that can help back loans through your lender (see local lenders), and
3. talk with other lenders like Community Lending Works and the Council of Governments for short term working capital loans.

Federal Funding Options

Small Business Administration (SBA) offers low-interest federal disaster loans for working capital to small businesses without credit available elsewhere* and non-profits suffering substantial economic injury as a result of COVID-19. Please keep track of your impacts such as revenue losses or employee staffing issues due to the COVID-19, in case you are eligible for SBA funds (see the SBA Worksheet for how to report your economic loss). As of June 15, the State of Oregon and Lane County businesses can apply for EIDL funds. To apply go to www.sba.gov/page/disaster-loan-applications.

*Businesses with credit available elsewhere are not eligible for SBA Disaster Loans.

Other SBA Funds

• 7(a) guarantee
• 504 Loan Program
• SBA Express
• Export Express
• Export Working Capital
• Veterans Advantage
• CAPLines

View local SBA lenders.

United States Department of Agriculture

•  USDA COVID-19 Website
• USDA COVID-19 Response Information
• Business and Industry Guarantee
• Commodity Credit Corporation (CARES Act): Helps farmers cover and insure for crop losses, and promote conservation practices. Producers can apply for these programs through the USDA website. 

State Funding Options

Business Oregon

• Capital Access Program
• Credit Enhancement Fund
• Entrepreneurial Development Loan Fund
• Oregon Business Development Fund
• Oregon Royalty Fund

Community Development Financial Institution Fund (CDFI)

• Community LendingWorks
• Craft3
• MESO
• Community Development Financial Institution Finder

 Other micro lenders

• Mercy Corps NW
• OAME
• Oregon’s Economic Development Districts

Local Funding Options and Organizations

• Community Lending Works Small Business Disaster Loan Fund
• Cascades West Economic Development District (CWEDD)
• General Bank Information for COVID-19 Impacts (FDIC)

Private Resources

These are private financial resources that are not associated with Lane County in any way. We recommend that you go to your current bank and see what financial assistance they can offer as many banks are waiving fees and helping current customers with loan payment issues.