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March 18, 2020
Special Update on Covid-19
For the latest from the District of Columbia government,
refer to
https://coronavirus.dc.gov/
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Mayor Bowser Announces DC Businesses Can Now Apply for SBA Disaster Assistance Loans
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Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser announced that the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has accepted the District of Columbia’s declaration for assistance in the form of economic injury disaster loans following the advent of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), and DC businesses can start applying now. While the SBA directly administers this loan program, the Department of Small and Local Business Development (DSLBD), led by Director Kristi Whitfield, will liaise with the SBA on behalf of the District of Columbia.
DC businesses can
start the process by clicking here
and then “Apply for Assistance.” You can prepare to apply by reviewing the “
Three Step Process
” of SBA Disaster Loans to understand what to expect in the application process. Disaster loan applicants can call the SBA Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center at 1-800-659-2955 (7 am -9 pm every day) or email
disastercustomerservice@sba.gov
for help in completing their online application. SBA staff and its Resource Partner network, consisting of Small Business Development Centers, SCORE Chapters, Women’s Business Centers, and Veterans Business Outreach Centers will continue to support small businesses with accessing federal resources and navigating their preparedness plans. Local assistance can be found at
www.sba.gov/local-assistance
. DC businesses can also download the
2020 Small Business Resource Guide for the Washington Metropolitan Area
as a resource.
In the coming days, the Bowser Administration will announce details about the Public Health Emergency Small Business Grant Program. This effort will be housed in the Business Development Unit within the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development.
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ABRA guidance and registration for carry-out/delivery of beer, wine, and spirits
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On Tuesday, Mayor Muriel Bowser signed into law the
COVID-19 Response Emergency Amendment Act of 2020
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Included is a provision that allows ABC-licensed restaurants and taverns to sell beer, wine, and spirits in closed containers for carry-out and/or delivery to DC residences in conjunction with the purchase of one or more prepared food items.
Before an eligible restaurant or tavern may sell beer, wine, and spirits in closed containers for carry-out and delivery, they must
register with ABRA
—no exceptions. Registration can be completed in five (5) minutes or less.
Required information includes:
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Licensee First Name
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Licensee Last Name
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Establishment Name
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License Number
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License Class
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Street Address
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Postal Code
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Quadrant
Once a form has been submitted, the program registrant will receive a confirmation email within minutes. No further action is required and the ABC-licensed restaurant or tavern can commence selling beer, wine, and spirits in closed containers for carry-out and/or delivery with prepared food immediately after receiving the confirmation email.
If no confirmation email is received, the licensee should contact ABRA’s licensing division at (202) 442-4423. There is no fee to register or participate.
REGISTER NOW
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Updated employment and benefit guidance from RAMW
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Paid Sick and Safe Leave
Currently DC businesses are required to provide sick leave to all employees. You are only required to pay employees out for mandated sick leave, if your handbook states that is your policy. Paid sick leave is not applicable to employees that have already been terminated. Employees begin accruing leave as soon as they start work, but cannot access leave until at least 90 days of employment.
Applying for Unemployment Benefits
As you can imagine, DOES is receiving an unprecedented influx of calls and applications for Unemployment Benefits.
At this point, all claims should be FILED ONLINE
.
If your employees do not have access to a computer, we encourage you to provide one for them at your restaurant, so they can register online.
Sales Tax Deferral
Sales taxes for February and March, normally due March 20 and April 20 respectively, should be filed WITHOUT payment on the regular date. Payment may be deferred until July 20, 2020 without penalty.
Termination of Employees
If you terminate employees, you are required by law to provide them their paycheck within 24 hours of termination date, including any accrued unpaid leave if your policy allows for payment.
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"Buy Restaurant Bonds" campaign encourages customers to support restaurants by gift card purchases
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The Adams Morgan Partnership is trying to help restaurants and bars that have forced to close or severely limit their services by encouraging customers to purchase gift cards for future dining. We are trying to make a splash with this campaign -- modeled after the
Buy War Bonds
campaigns of WWI and WWII -- to help draw attention to our 100+ restaurants and employees that are facing an uncertain future. Please join in via your own social media accounts using the hashtag
#BuyRestaurantBonds
Please tag us in your social media posts about the operating status of your business so we can pass the information along.
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POST YOUR EVENT ON OUR WEBSITE FOR FREE
If your business has an upcoming event happening in Adams Morgan, you can
submit it to our website here
. Submissions are moderated to ensure they are relevant to the Adams Morgan community.
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SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
Sponsor one of our community events! Partner with our community while reaching some of the city's most desirable demographics. For details, contact
Kristen Barden
at
202-997-0783.
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©
Adams Morgan Partnership
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