COVID-19 Resources

COVID-19 Resources

WEC values the health, safety, wellbeing, and financial success of students, staff, and wine industry partners.  Consistent with that value, below you will find a series of resources to help you navigate the numerous programs and benefits available in response to COVID-19.

Federal Legislation 

The CARES Act was signed into law on March 27, 2020, with the intent to provide direct and immediate economic relief to workers, businesses, and government entities impacted by COVID-19.  The CARES Act allows funding and authorization for several business loan programs, including: the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP); the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program; and the Main Street Lending Program (MSLP).  For individuals, the CARES Act provides an economic stimulus payment to those who meet the Act’s income limits, expands unemployment benefit eligibility, and provides an additional $600 per week in unemployment compensation.  There are also tax provisions and other relief provided for individuals and businesses. For more information on the various CARES Act programs and benefits, please visit the U.S. Treasury, the Small Business Administration, the Federal Reserve, and Internal Revenue Service (which are also linked below).  For a helpful overview of the programs in place, please see these summaries by National Public Radio and the National Restaurant Association.

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The FFCRA is an economic stimulus plan in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.  It was signed into law on March 18, 2020 and took effect on April 1, 2020.  The Act increases Medicaid funding, expands food assistance initiatives, aims to allow free COVID-19 testing, and allows employees to take protected leave for certain reasons related to COVID-19 (including childcare).  The FFCRA also authorized $1 billion in grants to states, subject to certain requirements, for the purpose of providing unemployment benefits to eligible workers.  For a summary of the FFCRA as it relates to employees and employers, please visit the Department of Labor’s website here (for employee paid leave rights) and here (for employer paid leave requirements). 

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General Resources for Businesses, Employers, and Individuals

The CDC has a wealth of information on what is known about COVID-19, as well as information on how you can help prevent exposure to the virus, and what to do if you are sick.  To see the CDC’s interim guidance for businesses and employers, click here.  For general guidance on coronavirus, and how to protect yourself and others, click here.

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OSHA provides information on workplace standards for COVID-19, and guidance on control and prevention for workers and employers.

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WHD provides guidance on how COVID-19 affects federal leave, wage, and hour laws, including information on the FFCRA.

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SBA is a resource for small businesses who have been affected by COVID-19, including information on the PPP, the EIDL program, SBA’s Express Bridge Loans, and the SBA Debt Relief program.  SBA also works with local partners nationwide to help counsel, mentor, and train small businesses.  Information on how to connect with a local SBA resource partner can be found here.

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Here you will find information on CARES Act programs administered by the U.S. Treasury, including economic impact payments for individuals and families, and the PPP.  You will also find information on how the Treasury is helping preserve jobs and provide assistance to state, local, and tribal governments.

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The IRS has compiled tax information and updates, including information for individuals, families, businesses, and tax-exempt entities.

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The EEOC provides information on equal opportunity laws, including guidance on non-discrimination statutes, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Rehabilitation Act.

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The U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship has put together a guide for small business owners and entrepreneurs to better understand the CARES Act.

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The Federal Reserve is establishing and administering the Main Street Lending Program to support small and medium-sized business in furtherance of the CARES Act.

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This website provides the text of legislative, presidential, and regulatory documents that have been released as a result of COVID-19. 

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Westlaw is a subscription service that provides a multitude of legal resources, including guides, sample documents, articles, checklists, and updates.  Information specifically related to COVID-19 is currently available to the public at no charge.

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The Council of State Governments has several interactive maps that provide links to state-specific resources and restrictions, including information on each state’s restaurant and bar closures, tax deadline, curfews, school closures, and more.

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State governors’ offices are great resources for state-specific programs related to COVID-19.  Above are website links for the respective offices of Texas Governor Greg Abbott, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, and California Governor Gavin Newsom.

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National Wine and Hospitality Industry Resources 

TTB has created a website dedicated to providing updates and guidance to help businesses respond to COVID-19, and includes information on the postponement of most TTB excise tax filings.

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Here you will find a list of general resources and news alerts on COVID-19, including links to state-by-state restaurant and bar closures identified by the Wine Institute.

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This website provides information on the Restaurant Employee Relief Fund through the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation, as well as other national and local business resources and updates.

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Grants and Emergency Assistance

Applications and benefit qualifications are accessible through the individual links.  Not everyone may be eligible for every benefit, so read the eligibility criteria carefully.

The USBG’s Bartender Emergency Assistance Program provides emergency grants for bartenders, their spouses, or their children.  The application and eligibility criteria are accessible through the link above.  

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The Restaurant Employee Relief Fund provides grants to restaurant industry employees impacted by COVID-19.

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The Restaurant Strong Fund provides grant assistance to full-time restaurant, bar, café, or nightclub employees who were employed for 3 or more months at the same location.  This grant is only available for workers in Arizona, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Vermont.

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Emergency grants of $500 are available for hospitality workers (including chefs, servers, bartenders, dishwashers, sommeliers, and managers) who are unemployed or had hours cut due to COVID-19.

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ROC provides a list of national and state financial resources for restaurant workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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CRAF provides one-time financial support to California restaurant employees facing unforeseen hardship.

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The TX Restaurant Relief Fund provides immediate financial relief to independent restauranteurs in Texas with the intent to save employees’ jobs.

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Eater has put together a list of nonprofits and grassroot organizations and financial resources out to help restaurants and employees alike.

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News Outlets/Articles, Professional Organizations, and Other Resources

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  • National Restaurant Association Restaurant Law Center COVID guidelines

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Important Notification 

There are several important things to remember about this summary.  First, this summary is compiled by Summit Law Group, PLLC on behalf of WEC, and is intended to be an overview of different resources.  It is for informational purposes only.  It is not meant to be an exhaustive list of all resources that may be available, and it is not a guarantee of program availability, or eligibility for any benefits in any particular circumstances. Summit Law Group and WEC are not responsible for any webpages that are linked above, and does not review, monitor, endorse, verify, or approve any content therein.  Further, providing these resources should not be construed as WEC endorsing any company, website, entity, cause, program, interest, or political candidate. Further, nothing in this summary is intended to influence legislation or lobby any interests.  Lastly, this summary is not intended to be, and should not be interpreted as, legal advice; you are encouraged to contact an attorney for guidance regarding specific legal situations.