Conference call on coronavirus gave small-business owners the very latest information
NFIB California was pleased to put together a March 24 conference call with its members and three top state officials dealing with the coronavirus as it relates to small business survival.
Providing answers to questions from NFIB members were:
- Julie Su, secretary of the California Labor & Workforce Development Agency
- Stewart Knox, undersecretary of the Labor & Workforce Development Agency
- Isabel Guzman, director of Governor’s Office of The Small Business Advocate
“Finding resources to manage cash flow is critical,” said Guzman, who led off. Acknowledging that everyone might be stuffed with helpful links by now, she wanted to call attention to one that might be overlooked and could be very helpful. It is the Small Business Finance Center of the California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank, a state agency.
Another little-known resource, pointed out by Guzman, is the California Capital Access Program (CalCAP) for Small Business run by the State Treasurer’s office, but she emphasized the importance of first beginning with the state’s special web site for all things coronavirus related, https://covid19.ca.gov/.
Secretary Su and Undersecretary Knox reminded the 300 callers joining the teleconference that paid sick leave, unemployment insurance, disability insurance, and paid family leave requirements are still in effect, but state agencies are working on other ways of lessening the impact of COVID-19. The Employment Development Department has, upon request, extended the time for employers to file their state payroll reports and deposits of state payroll taxes
The Labor & Workforce Development Agency officials also recommend employers explore work-share before considering layoff.
Questions and comments from the listeners to the officials included the possibility of getting pre-payment of sales taxes postponed and using furloughs instead any layoffs.
“We achieved what we set out to do and will continue to do: get our members the most current, the most relevant information of any source,” said NFIB California State Director John Kabateck, who moderated the call. “I thank Grassroots Manager Taylor Criddle for a fine job in pulling this call together and ask our members to drop Taylor an email with a question you’d like answered on our next call with state leaders.”
Grassroots Manager Taylor Criddle can be reached at [email protected].
Also, check out NFIB’s Small Business FAQ’s on COVID-19 and California Small Business Central for Coronavirus News and Resources.
Click here to listen to the 57-minute conversation.
