As the COVID-19 virus updates are being released from trusted sources, the Greater Topeka Partnership and all organizations under its umbrella want to ensure the health and safety of the public. Per that statement, we have provided the information below from trusted sources: 

• White House: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/coronavirus-guidelines-america/
• SBA: https://www.sba.gov/page/coronavirus-covid-19-small-business-guidance-loan-resources
• Disaster Loan Assistance - Federal Disaster Loans for businesses, private nonprofits, homeowners and renters up to 2 million dollars.
  • Religious organizations do not qualify because this is considered an economic injury event. Apply here: https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/.
• Once a Governor declares a State of Emergency businesses should start applying, Kansas already has done this. To look up a state or county: https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/Declarations.  They anticipate that all states will eventually qualify very soon. 
• Paid And Unpaid Leave For Coronavirus-Related Reasons: Families First Coronavirus Response Act (H.R. 6201)

DOL Guidance regarding Unemployment insurance: https://www.dol.gov/coronavirus. NOTE: Employees DO NOT have to quit to receive benefits. Under the guidance, federal law permits significant flexibility for states to amend their laws to provide unemployment insurance benefits in multiple scenarios related to COVID-19. For example, federal law allows states to pay benefits where:

• An employer temporarily ceases operations due to COVID-19, preventing employees from coming to work
• An individual is quarantined with the expectation of returning to work after the quarantine is over
• An individual leaves employment due to a risk of exposure or infection or to care for a family member

In addition, federal law does not require an employee to quit in order to receive benefits due to the impact of COVID-19