The North Little Rock Chamber is focused on supporting all businesses in Central Arkansas, particularly as they navigate the weeks and months ahead. COVID-19 will continue to have an impact on our region, and your chamber is working with local, state and federal officials to help businesses take advantage of assistance and advice which has been committed at various levels. As we get more information, we will continue to update this page.
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Uplift Arkansas
Arkansans can help Arkansans. We always do. Use this resource to find information on local businesses, restaurants, services, and other vital information as we band together for support in this unprecedented challenge. Search for businesses or submit your own > Unemployment Insurance Update If you are unemployed due to the COVID-19 public health and economic crisis, the Arkansas Division of Workforce Services created a new informational website at www.arunemployment.com. Additionally, their unemployment hotline is now open from Monday-Saturday 6:00 AM - 4:00 PM CT at (844) 908-2178. If you are seeking to file or if you are self-employed, working part-time, or a gig economy worker, there is a new alert system that will inform you when you can file for unemployment HERE Arkansas Department of Health Guidance for Employers If any of your employees are being monitored due to their possible exposure to coronavirus disease 2019, also referred to as COVID-19, they will be placed under home self-quarantine by the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) for 14 days after leaving an area of concern. The areas of concern include any country with a Level 2 or higher travel advisory. If this occurs, ADH will provide the person with a letter, and they have the option of requesting a letter be provided to you as well. This letter provides additional information regarding the quarantine, including the date the employee can return to work. During this time, the person is expected to stay home during the entire 14-day period and not leave for any reason, except to seek any needed medical care. If the employee does not develop symptoms of COVID-19 prior to the end of the self-quarantine period, they will be free to resume normal activities, including school or work. They will also receive a letter stating they have completed the home quarantine period. Please call the Arkansas Department of Health at 800.803.7847 if you have any questions. Guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Recommended strategies for employers to use now for any infectious disease:
Global case numbers are reported by the World Health Organization (WHO) in their coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) situation report. For U.S. information, visit CDC’s COVID-19 in the U.S. This following location list is found here. Here is a link CDC on keeping workplaces, homes, schools or commercial spaces safe - https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/workplace-school-and-home-guidance.pdf Guidance for Employers from U.S. Chamber of Commerce COVID-19 Vaccination Tax Credit: In its race to help Americans get vaccinated against COVID-19, the Biden administration announced a tax credit to help businesses give employees time off to get vaccinated. Learn more from the webinar here. Ensure that your sick leave policies are flexible: Consistent with public health guidance, permit employees to stay home to care for a sick family member, and that employees are aware of these policies. Actively encourage sick employees to stay home. Employees should notify their supervisor if they are sick and won’t be coming into the office. Employee travel: Ensure employees who become sick while traveling or on temporary assignment understand that they should notify their supervisor and should promptly call a health care provider for advice if needed. Separate sick employees: CDC recommends that employees who appear to have acute respiratory illness symptoms (i.e. cough, shortness of breath) upon arrival to work or become sick during the day should be separated from other employees and be sent home immediately. Social distancing: Plan to minimize exposure between healthy employees and also between those employees and the public, if public health officials call for social distancing. Workplace hygiene: Routinely clean all frequently-touched surfaces in the workplace, such as workstations, countertops and doorknobs. Provide disposable wipes so that commonly-used surfaces can be wiped down by employees before each use. For more information, click: https://www.uschamber.com/sites/default/files/guidance_for_employers_to_plan_and_respond_to_coronavirus.pdf Coronavirus Toolkit The U.S. Chamber has created a toolkit to share recommendations for businesses and workers across the country from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). We continue to encourage Arkansas businesses to follow data-based guidance from the CDC and state and local officials. The toolkit has shareable graphics based on the CDC's latest guidance for businesses and employees to share on social media, websites and other channels. The toolkit can be found here. Customizable: Coronavirus Flyer As you know, the business community plays a vital role in maintaining the health of their communities, and now is the time for businesses to demonstrate how they are helping contain the coronavirus while ensuring continuity of operations. This is important to instill a sense of calm and confidence. To help you communicate the measures you are taking to ensure the safety of your community, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce has created a customizable flyer to display in your place of business. You may access it by clicking here using Adobe Acrobat Reader (free download available at this link). Small Business Resources Arkansas Small Business & Technology Development Center (ASBTDC) ASBTDC is gearing up to be set up as a virtual emergency site to help with disaster relief lending. For more information on ASTBC, please see http://asbtdc.org/covid-19-resources where they will be putting more information disaster funding assistance. You can also call ASBTDC at 1-800-862-2040 or e-mail at leadcenter@asbtdc.org SCORE Mentors of Little Rock SCORE Mentors Update - In response to recent developments relating to COVID-19, SCORE is temporarily suspending in-person events, including chamber office hours until further notice. However, continued support is fully available online. Local workshops may be postponed or held online. Check the Little Rock SCORE website for more information. U.S. Chamber of Commerce The U.S. Chamber, as part of its Save Small Business Initiative, has put together this comprehensive list of guides, resources, and tips available for your small business during the pandemic. Start exploring here to see how you can get the help you need. Additional Resources National Association of Manufacturers: Coronavirus Resources CDC – What You Need to Know CDC – What to Do If You are Sick CDC – Stop the Spread of Germs U.S. Chamber – Guidance for Employers OSHA - Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19 |
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