Coronavirus (COVID-19)

January 29th: The National Association of Manufacturers has launched the This Is Our Shot project to encourage manufacturing employees to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Learn more about the initiative here.

January 22nd: COVID-19 Unemployment Fraud is on the Rise: Here is What Colorado Employers Should Know. Read more here.

January 8th: The Common Sense Institute released its latest COVID-19 labor force and jobs report. View the report here.

January 4th: Gov. Polis is taking steps to move counties from red to orange. Read the article from Colorado Politics here.

2020

December 22nd: The U.S. Congress has expanded PPP eligibility to some local chambers of commerce. More information here.

December 17th: EEOC issues updated Covid-19 technical assistance publication; covers business issues related to vaccination. Read the press release here.

December 16th: The Colorado Chamber released its end-of-year COVID impact survey. View it here.

December 8th: The Colorado business community has weighed in on a potential statewide five-star program. Read more here.

December 4th: The special legislative session to address COVID-19 relief has concluded. Here’s what you need to know.

December 2nd: A new report from the governor’s office shows that businesses are doing their part to follow COVID-19 restrictions. Read the blog post here.

November 17th: Gov. Polis announced new COVID restrictions for some counties in an effort to avoid lockdowns. More details here.

November 6th: The governor’s 2021-22 budget proposal includes COVID-19 relief, business incentives. Read more here.

October 23rd: State and local chambers have asked Gov. Polis for COVID-19 support. Read the letter and blog post here.

August 14th: State chambers of commerce across the country are asking Congress for liability relief, 501(c)(6) assistance. Read the letter here.

July 31st: A new Colorado Chamber business survey has found that companies are embracing working from home. Read the press release here.

July 20th: The U.S. Chamber of Commerce sent a letter to congressional leaders urging swift action to provide economic relief to families, businesses, and communities across the country in Phase 4 COVID relief. Read the letter here.

July 17th: The Governor signed paid sick leave & whistleblower protection legislation, which are effective immediately. Read more here.

July 16th: Gov. Polis has issued a statewide mask order. Read the order here.

June 19th: Legislative session has come to an end. Here’s a look at what happened for businesses.

June 15th: Gov. Polis announces Protect Our Neighbors Framework and new draft Safer at Home guidelines. Read more here.

May 27th: The governor has released new state guidelines for restaurants and other entities. View the guidance for restaurants here. The governor also is allowing some elective medical procedures to proceed under current conditions. View the executive order here.

May 25th: Gov. Polis has extended and amended the state’s Safer at Home order, making changes to restaurants, summer camps and private camping. and the amended Executive Order here and the updated FAQ here.

May 22nd: List of controversial legislation grows while the economy suffers. Read more here.

May 22nd: New study highlights economic impact of COVID-19. View the latest in Capitol Report.

May 22nd: Last week, Sen. Gardner talked to Colorado Chamber members about federal COVID-19 assistance for businesses. If you missed the call, you can watch here.

May 21st: Paid sick leave legislation to be introduced in the final weeks of legislative session. Read more on the blog.

May 20th: The Colorado Chamber joined other state chambers to urge congress to pass liability protection for employers. Read the press release here.

May 18th: Over the weekend, the governor signed a temporary executive order authorizing the electronic collection of signatures for ballot initiatives in the November election. More on our blog here.

May 15th: The Governor’s top lawyer talked to Colorado Chamber members last week on a Zoom call and answered business questions. Watch the meeting and read more in Capitol Report.

May 15th: The Colorado General Assembly has delayed the state legislative session through May 26th. Read more here.

May 13th: A new federal bill would allow business receiving PPP benefits to deduct certain expenses. Read more on our blog.

May 11th: View our “Colorado Chamber Members Stepping Up” page for new stories about how the Colorado business community is navigating the crisis.

May 8th: The Colorado Chamber signed onto a letter in support of a federal bill that would allow local chambers to access PPP funding. Read more here.

May 8th: Several counties ended their stay at home orders today. See what that means for businesses in our latest Capitol Report.

May 6th: Denver’s Stay-at-Home order expires on May 8th. Here’s what businesses need to know.

May 5th: Colorado’s “Safer at Home” order has been revised including changes to temperature check requirements at the request of the business community. See the revised order here and guidance here.

May 4th: The Governor has extended the deadline for filing and remitting state and state-administered local sales tax until May 20, 2020. View the order here.

May 1st: The Colorado Chamber released a press release in response to the recent endorsement of ballot initiatives on paid family and medical leave by the previous sponsors of the legislation. View it here.

April 30th: The EPA has released guidance for cleaning and disinfecting public spaces, including businesses and workplaces. View the guidance here.

April 27th: The governor released a Public Health Order that further details his “Safer at Home” initiative. View the order here and the FAQ here.

April 27th: Gov. Polis’ statewide “Safer at Home” order begins to take effect today. Find out what it means here.

April 24th: The Colorado Chamber released the results of a survey on its membership about how the state should go about a phased reopening. View the press release here.

April 24th: The U.S. Congress has extended the Paycheck Protection Program, providing $310 billion more for the program. Read more in Capitol Report.

April 24th: Gov. Polis has announced steps to begin reopening the state, while the Mayor of Denver extended the county’s Stay-at-Home order. See what that means for businesses in the latest Capitol Report.

April 22nd: Colorado Businesses Continue to Support Communities and Adapt in Crisis. View the blog post here for a look at what some Colorado Chamber companies are doing.

April 21st: Governor Announces Steps Toward Re-Opening of Colorado Businesses. Read the blog post here.

April 17th: The governor has issued an executive order requiring all workers in critical businesses to wear face masks. View it here.

April 17th: The Colorado Chamber requested an extension of the Paycheck Protection Program. Read more here.

April 15th: U.S. Chamber Foundation has launched the Save Small Business Fund, which is providing $5,000 in short-term relief to certain small employers across the United States. Get more information here.

April 14th: The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has sent a letter to Congress asking for more funding for the Paycheck Protection Program and EIDL loans. View the letter here.

April 13th: Colorado Chamber members are stepping up to help their communities. Read the blog post here.

April 10th: The General Assembly has tentatively scheduled to return on May 18th. View the article in this week’s Capitol Report.

April 10th: Gov. Polis has extended the the statewide Stay-at-Home order through April 26th. He also extended several other orders and deadlines. Read more here.

April 10th: In case you missed it: The Colorado Chamber held a virtual luncheon last month with business leaders to discuss creative methods 0f addressing COVID-19. You can view the full luncheon here.

April 9th: Today we hosted a webinar with the U.S. Chamber and 100+ businesses across Colorado to talk about the federal CARES Act. View the full webinar here.

April 9th: The U.S. Chamber has released FAQ’s about the Paycheck Protection Program of the CARES Act. View the document here.

April 7th: The Colorado Chamber and U.S. Chamber will be hosting a webinar on Thursday, April 9th, to answer questions about the CARES Act. Register here.

April 7th: Gov. Polis has extended the deadline for state and state-administered local sales taxes. View the order here.

April 7th: Gov. Polis has extended Colorado’s Stay At Home Order through April 26th. View the press release here.

April 6th: View the U.S. Chamber’s employer guide to COVID paid sick leave programs here.

April 3rd: The Colorado Chamber released the results of its second survey on the business community relating to COVID-19. View the press release here.

April 3rd: The Colorado Supreme Court that the Colorado General Assembly Can Continue to Work Post-COVID-19 Pandemic. View the story in Capitol Report.

April 3rd: Today is the first day businesses can apply for loans through the Paycheck Protection Program. Get the details here.

April 1st: The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has released two new step-by-step guides to help businesses navigate COVID tax credits and disaster loans. View the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Guide here and the Employee Retention Tax Credit Guide here.

March 31st: In our Capitol Report newsletter, we’ve outlined many of the local “Stay-at-Home” orders across the state. View the article here.

March 27th: Congress has passed the CARES Act, phase three of congressional COVID relief. Read our press release here, and see more information here from the US Chamber about who qualifies for assistance.

March 27th: The Colorado Chamber has partnered with Linhart PR to provide a free resource to the business community in navigating COVID-19 crisis communications. View the blog and white paper here.

March 27th: Gov. Polis announced that Help Colorado Now, a joint volunteer and relief effort launched last week, is now accepting grant applications for community-based organizations providing direct assistance in COVID efforts. Learn more about the grants and application process in the governor’s press release.

March 26th: We’ve broken down what the new statewide “Stay in Place” order means for businesses in our blog. Find out what industries it applies to and in what circumstances here.

March 26th: The governor has amended his “Stay in Place” order to include additional professional services as “essential,” including legal, title companies, accounting, and real estate appraisals. View the updated order here.

March 26th: Gov. Polis issued a statewide “Stay in Place” order yesterday, which took effect this morning. View the executive order here, and FAQ’s here from the governor’s office.

March 25th: Find out what employers need to know about recent paid sick and family/medical leave requirements. View the blog post here.

March 24th: The Colorado Chamber released a survey of its members demonstrating the concerns and challenges employers are facing. View the press release here.

March 23rd: The city and county of Denver has issued a Stay-at-Home order. View the order here.

March 23rd: What constitutes a “critical” business in the governor’s recent executive order? Get the details in our update here.

March 22nd: FAQ’s about Gov. Polis’ 50% order.

March 22nd: Gov. Polis has ordered non-critical businesses to cut in-person workforce by 50%. View the executive order here.

March 22nd: The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has released a summary of the Senate proposal to provide additional relief to Americans and small businesses. Read the summary here.

March 20th: Our main story in the Capitol Report is on Gov. Polis’ announcement about more efforts to help businesses and individuals. He also established an emergency economic council. Read the update here.

March 20th: U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter has compiled resources for small businesses related to COVID-19. View the document here.

March 19th: Colorado small businesses to receive financial assistance, potential relief coming for taxpayers. View the update here.

March 19th: The U.S. Chamber has put together a summary of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act signed by the president yesterday. View the summary here.

March 18th: U.S. Senate Passes Coronavirus Response Bill. View the update here.

March 16th: Governor Polis issued an executive order closing all bars, restaurants, casinos and theaters in the state. View the executive order here.

March 16th: The Families First Coronavirus Response Act has passed the U.S. House. How will it impact employers? View the blog post here.

March 13th: Colorado Legislature to temporarily adjourn over coronavirus pandemic. View the update here.

March 11th: The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment passed emergency rules on paid sick leave due to coronavirus. View the update here.

March 5th: Colorado Chamber encourages businesses to prepare for possible coronavirus spread. View the press release.

What Colorado Businesses Should Know

Colorado employers should be ready to implement strategies to protect their workforce from the virus while ensuring continuity of operations. Employers should also be aware of the latest state and local executive orders that may dictate what defines an essential business and who can go to work in-person. As with all illnesses, sick employees should stay home and away from the workplace, use cough and sneeze etiquette, frequently clean hands with soap and water, and routinely clean commonly touched surfaces. We’ve compiled additional guidance for employers below from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

What can I do as an employer?

Be sure to follow any local or state order dictating who is permitted to work in-person.
Have a plan to prevent employees from getting sick
- Determine if flex working schedules are an option.
- Have an internal communications plan in place.
- Determine how to handle a potential spike in employee absences.
Actively encourage sick employees to stay home.
If an employee exhibits respiratory illness symptoms at work, they should be separated from other employees and be sent home immediately.
Workplace hygiene: routinely clean all frequently touched surfaces in the workplace.

Click here for the full employer guidance from the U.S. Chamber.

Click here for more employer guidance from the CDC.

View the Colorado Chamber’s Best Practices for COVID-19 Crisis Communications.

What guidance should I give to my employees?

Be sure to follow any local or state order dictating who is permitted to work in-person.
Wash your hands often with soap and water. The CDC recommends washing your hands for a full 20 seconds.
Avoid close contact with people who are sick. If you are sick, keep your distance from others.
If you are sick, stay home to prevent the illness from spreading to others.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing.

Click here for the full Workplace Tips for Employees pamphlet from the U.S. Chamber.

Click here for more employee guidance from the CDC.

General CDC Information on Coronavirus

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory illness that can spread from person to person. The virus that causes the coronavirus is a novel coronavirus that was first identified during an investigation into an outbreak in Wuhan, China. Symptoms include fever, cough and shortness of breath. The CDC believes at this time that symptoms of the coronavirus may appear in as few as 2 days or as long as 14 days after exposure. This is based on what has been seen previously as the incubation period of Coronavirus.

According to the CDC, the virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person. The virus spreads by droplets made when people with the coronavirus cough, sneeze or talk. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people nearby or be inhaled into their lungs. It may be possible that a person can get the coronavirus by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes, but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads.

Small Business Disaster Assistance

The Small Business Administration will be offering designated states and territories low-interest federal disaster loans for working capital to small businesses suffering substantial economic injury as a result of the Coronavirus (COVID-19). Upon a request received from a state’s or territory’s Governor, SBA will issue under its own authority, as provided by the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act that was recently signed by the President, an Economic Injury Disaster Loan declaration, although if you need shorter loans, you can go online as there are options of cash loans which can help you if you need a fast loan.

Any such Economic Injury Disaster Loan assistance declaration issued by the SBA makes loans available to small businesses and private, non-profit organizations in designated areas of a state or territory to help alleviate economic injury caused by the Coronavirus (COVID-19). SBA’s Office of Disaster Assistance will coordinate with the state’s or territory’s Governor to submit the request for Economic Injury Disaster Loan assistance.

The Colorado District Office for the SBA is working very closely with the Governor’s Office on the declaration process. There is a very prescribed process for this particular program and the Governor’s Office is working diligently to get this done. Once Colorado is approved, it will be widely communicated.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) is leading the State’s multi-agency crisis response.

■ COVID-19 Hotline: Call 303-389-1687 or 1-877-462-2911

■ Email [email protected] .

■ CDPHE Facebook and Twitter

The Colorado Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network is committed to providing the most up-to-date relevant information to help you and your business navigate the current potential hardships. To that end, the SBDC has compiled the appropriate resources for your business on our Disaster Preparedness and Continuity.

Small businesses are encouraged to visit this page to learn more about the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program.

If Colorado has been approved for the SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan program, small business owners will be encouraged to apply online in the Disaster Loan Application Portal here. The electronic loan application will be screened by our processing center when it is received.

For program questions or assistance in completing the application online, businesses can contact the SBA’s Customer Service Center at 1-800-659-2955 or [email protected].