Provided below is a list of resources and information for Royal Oak businesses during the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) outbreak. The city, DDA, and Chamber of Commerce are in constant communication with the economic development leadership at the state and county levels, and this page will be updated as more resources become available. 

STATE OF MICHIGAN EMERGENCY ORDER
(in effect until February 1, 2021)

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) updated its epidemic order on January 13, 2021, to allow re-opening of additional activities where Michiganders can remain masked and socially distanced, as this has been scientifically shown to slow the virus. This includes indoor group exercise and non-contact sports.

The new order is effective Saturday, Jan. 16 and will last until Sunday, Jan. 31.  



For more information and updates, please visit: https://www.michigan.gov/coronavirus

PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM (PPP)

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced that the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) will reopen the week of Jan. 11 for new borrowers and certain existing borrowers. This applies to both first and second draw loans.

For companies interested in applying for a new PPP loan, we strongly urge you to promptly consult with your financial institution and tax advisor to ensure you have the latest information as elements are still evolving, and are prepared to act as the loan funds become available.

Key updates to this round of funding include:

Borrowers can set their loan covered period to be any length between eight and 24 weeks to best meet their needs;

Loans will cover additional expenses, including operations expenditures, property damage costs, supplier costs, and worker protection expenditures;

Eligibility is expanded to include 501(c)(6)s, housing cooperatives, direct marketing organizations, among other types of organizations;

Greater flexibility for seasonal employees;

Certain existing PPP borrowers can request to modify their First Draw PPP Loan amount;

Certain existing PPP borrowers are now eligible to apply for a Second Draw PPP Loan.

For more information, please click here.

EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE GRANTS

Michiganders who lost wages, hours or their jobs due to state COVID-19 health and safety orders issued in November can start applying for new grant funding on January 15, 2021 at 9:00 a.m., and will be available until January 25, 2021 at 5:00 p.m. The grants are not first come, first serve and the application will be open for submissions for the entirety of that 10-day period. 

Employees who were impacted by the MDHHS Gathering and Face Mask Order of November 18, 2020. Employees working in the following industries qualify:

Restaurants, Hotels, Motels, Bed & Breakfast, Resorts, Bars, Food Trucks, Bowling Alleys, Theaters, Nightclubs, Golf Courses, Banquet Halls, Caterers, Casinos, Cafeterias, Other impacted industries

Eligible recipients meeting all criteria and providing a complete and accurate application will be awarded assistance up to $1,650. The award is taxable, but it will NOT count against your Unemployment as income.

For more information, please visit:  https://www.mrlaef.org/money

OAKLAND COUNTY GRANTS

Utilizing funds from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, Oakland County is offering a variety of grants for businesses and organizations impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.

Applications and grant details can be found online at www.oakgov.com/covid/grants .

SBA DISASTER ASSISTANCE LOANS

The Small Business Administration is providing targeted, low-interest loans to small businesses and non-profits that have been severely impacted by COVID-19. The SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan program provides small businesses with working capital loans of up to $2 million that can provide vital economic support to small businesses to help overcome the temporary loss of revenue they are experiencing. Small business owners in many states are now eligible to apply, including Michigan.

For eligibility information, please visit https://sbdcmichigan.org/disaster-loan-help/

To apply, please visit https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela

IRS EMPLOYEE RETENTION CREDIT

The U.S. Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service launched the Employee Retention Credit, designed to encourage businesses to keep employees on their payroll. The refundable tax credit is 50% of up to $10,000 in wages paid by an eligible employer whose business has been financially impacted by COVID-19.

The credit is available to all employers regardless of size, including tax-exempt organizations. There are only two exceptions: State and local governments and their instrumentalities and small businesses who take small business loans.

Qualifying employers must fall into one of two categories:

1. The employer's business is fully or partially suspended by government order due to COVID-19 during the calendar quarter.
2. The employer's gross receipts are below 50% of the comparable quarter in 2019. Once the employer's gross receipts go above 80% of a comparable quarter in 2019, they no longer qualify after the end of that quarter.

For more information about this credit, please visit https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-employee-retention-credit-available-for-many-businesses-financially-impacted-by-covid-19

GUIDANCE TO EMPLOYERS CONTEMPLATING POTENTIAL LAYOFFS

Work Share Program

Michigan's Work Share program allows you to keep your employees working with reduced hours, while employees collect partial unemployment benefits to make up a portion of the lost wages. With Work Share, you can maintain operational productivity and hang on to your skilled workers.

For more information, please download this Work Share Fact Sheet

Temporary Leave vs. Termination

Due to the uncertainty regarding potential congressional action on how furloughed workers will be able to access federal resources, employers are strongly urged to place employees on temporary leave as opposed to termination. There is no additional cost to employers, employees remain eligible for unemployment benefits and they may remain eligible for potential federal assistance.

Steps for employers placing employers on temporary unpaid leave can be found here.

RESOURCES FOR EMPLOYEES

If you become unemployed, you may qualify for unemployment insurance benefits. These benefits are intended to provide temporary income as you seek new employment. To be eligible for unemployment benefits, you must be unemployed and able to, available for, and actively seeking suitable full-time work.

A claim for unemployment benefits begins the week it is filed. Therefore, you should file your claim during your first week of unemployment. There are two ways to file a new claim or re-open an existing claim:

ONLINE is the fastest and preferred method. 

Visit www.michigan.gov/uia and sign into MILogin to access or create an account on the Michigan Web Account Manager (MiWAM)

VIA TELEPHONE, call 1-866-500-0017. If you are hearing impaired, TTY service is available at 1-866-366-0004.

CITY UPDATES AND CONTACTS

Effective March 17, 2020 all municipal buildings are closed to the public until further notice.  That said, city staff will still be answering your calls, opening mail, processing applications and more. Licenses and voter information may be filled on online. Other forms may be downloaded. 

The best way to stay informed is to sign-up for email or text messages from the city using NotifyMe or follow the city on social media where we post regular updates.