Pierce County Emergency Small Business Relief Loan Program has expanded its criteria to help more Pierce County businesses!
The Pierce County Council expanded this loan program on April 21, 2020 to include employers with up to 20 employees for businesses located anywhere in Pierce County, including incorporated cities. New criteria is as follows:

• Be a business physically located anywhere in Pierce county including incorporated cities
• Have 20 or fewer employers (including ownership)
• Be in operation for one or more years
• Demonstrate at least a 25% reduction in revenues attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic

​Find out more here  Emergency Small Business Relief Loan Program

COVID-19 Leads to Greater Employer Focus on Response Planning, Employee Education and Flexible Work Arrangements, Alera Group Study Finds
COVID-19 is leading many employers to implement or re-evaluate their infectious disease response plans, ramp-up their employee communication efforts, and offer flexible work arrangements to address childcare and remote work challenges, a new Alera Group study finds. The Alera Group COVID-19 Employer Pulse Surveyexplores the impact of the pandemic and offers insights into how employers throughout the country and in various industries are navigating employee health, benefits and human resources issues in the changing landscape.
The study identified five key findings:

• Over 50% of employers surveyed with 100 or more employees will implement formal infectious disease policies as a result of COVID-19.
• Most employers, regardless of size, region, or industry, are educating their employees several times a week about prevention techniques, COVID-19 symptoms and employee benefits.
• Hiring freezes and social distancing measures are prevalent and layoffs and furloughs are rising as a result of shutdowns.
• The majority of employers surveyed are allowing employees to use their paid time off and some are assisting with childcare issues. Telemedicine is becoming more of a focus.
• The impact of COVID-19 varies by industry, with manufacturing, non-profit, healthcare, professional and finance/insurance organizations having a slightly more positive outlook.

See Survey Results

Lapse in Appropriations Notice: SBA is unable to accept new applications at this time for the Paycheck Protection Program or the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL)-COVID-19 related assistance program (including EIDL Advances) based on available appropriations funding.
EIDL applicants who have already submitted their applications will continue to be processed on a first-come, first-served basis.
To learn more about other relief options available for small business, click here.
SBA Administrator Jovita Carranza and U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin have issued this joint statement appealing to Congress for additional funds to pass.

​The U.S. Chamber unveiled its Save Small Business Initiative to address the immediate needs of the small business community, mitigate closures and job losses, and mobilize support for long-term recovery in the wake of the economic destruction of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition to a call to action for the larger business community and government to help small businesses, the four-part campaign includes supplemental financial assistance, advocacy, resources, webinars and guides, and research.

The U.S. Chamber Foundation is supporting the supplemental financial assistance by launching their Save Small Business Fund. Funded by contributions from corporate and philanthropic partners, the U.S. Chamber Foundation will be providing $5,000 supplemental grants to small employers in economically vulnerable communities.

Applications for the Save Small Business Grant Fund will open this Monday, April 20, 2020, at 3:00 p.m. ET. There are several eligibility requirements which can be foundhere.  We encourage you to share this information with your members so they can apply for a supplemental grant if they are eligible. Chambers of Commerce may also apply if they meet the eligibility requirements

For more information on the Save Small Business Grant Fund including qualifications, the application process and FAQs, please click here.

PSE is making $11 million in funds available to help our customers who have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes customers who recently became unemployed, partially unemployed, or cannot work. Please feel free to share this to any people or organizations who might find it helpful. 
 
The $11 million are carry-over funds under PSE’s Low Income Program. With approval from the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission, PSE made revisions to its program to make these funds available to a broader group of customers. This program will be available to PSE’s residential customers in Island, King, Kitsap, Kittitas, Lewis, Pierce, Skagit, Snohomish, Thurston and Whatcom counties, who meet the household size and income criteria. More information on the criteria, and how to apply can be found via our website www.pse.com/covidhelp or via the attached form.
 
In addition, PSE continues to offer payment plans, allow customers to change a bill’s due date and not charge late fees. PSE will continue to offer its other assistance programs, including the Warm Home Fund, PSE Home Energy Lifeline Program and Weatherization Assistance Program for income-eligible customers. A Customer, co-Customer on the PSE bill, or a customer care agent acting on a Customer’s behalf must first submit a complete and accurate application to the Company.

TACOMA, Wash. – The Tahoma Business Environmental Award is presented annually by the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber to a local business for its outstanding environmental stewardship.
 
This year’s award recipient is Courtesy Auto Service & Tire of Tacoma

Courtesy Auto took great steps in 2019 to reduce their carbon footprint in Pierce County. Some key features include:

• Converting and rewiring every light fixture to LED, roughly 640 - 4 foot bulbs switched out
• Took 4 in ground lifts out of service, drained & sealed them, and installed 2 above ground lifts- migrating any underground contamination
• They recycle used oil and transmission fluids, burning it in a special unit for heat in the shop
• They recycle scrap metal, and wastepaper
• All old oil filters are recycled according to the Department of Ecology’s parameters

 
Visit Courtesy Auto for more information.

More information on their green business practices can be found here
 
The Chamber is proud to recognize forward-thinking businesses and organizations throughout Tacoma and Pierce County. Congratulations, Courtesy Auto! 
 
The Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber is a member-based, business and economic-growth organization, dedicated to making the South Sound the best place to do business in Washington State.