Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Guidance on Executive Order 20-40 and Businesses Reopening

Guidance on Executive Order 20-40

Resources to determine if your business is in a critical industry under the “Stay at Home” executive order

MN Department of Employment and Economic Development 

Emergency Executive Order Directing Minnesotans to Stay at Home

Best Practices Guidance for Businesses and Employers (including reducing transmission, maintaining healthy business operations and a healthy work environment)

     CDC Interim Guidance for Businesses and Employers to Plan and Respond to COVID-19

Covid-19 Relief Resources

East Central MN Pandemic Business Resource Directory (PDF)

Financial Resources to Assist Businesses Impacted by COVID-19

• MN Department of Employment and Economic Development Small Business Emergency Loans – Zero-interest loans between $2,500 and $35,000  for businesses impacted by the Governor’s Emergency Executive Order 20-04 including information on terms, eligibility and application, and post-approval information. The Initiative Foundation and Entrepreneur Fund are lenders from our region. Contact Dan Bullert at the Initiative Foundation or Sandy Voigt at the Women’s Business Alliance (Entrepreneur Fund) for additional information. See here for an update from the Initiative Foundation.

• MN Department of Revenue Sales and Use Tax Information, delaying payments and abatement of penalties for filing or paying late in response to COVID-19
•  US Small Business Administration Economic Injury Disaster Loans, low-interest loans with a term of up to 30 years available to  Minnesota businesses impacted by COVID-19

[email protected]  | (612) 370-2324
[email protected] | (800) 659-2955

•  Facebook Small Business Grants Program Facebook is offering $100 million in cash grants and ad credits to help small   businesses during this challenging time.
• Springboard for the Arts  Artists and creative workers based in Minnesota may request up to $500 to compensate for cancelled work

Employer Resources

FMLA (Family Medical Leave Act): There are now Federal guidelines available on the expanded FMLA and sick leave law that recently passed. Businesses under 500 employees are required to follow the expanded FMLA and sick leave provisions recently passed at the Federal level. Businesses under 50 employees who have experienced a hardship can apply for an exemption. Additional information will be included in forthcoming guidance from the U.S. Department of Labor. See the following links for additional guidance:

• Fact Sheet for Employers
• Fact Sheet for Employees
• Questions and Answers

MN Shared Work Program offers an alternative to layoffs.  The program allows employers to divide available hours of work among a group of employees instead of implementing a full layoff. These employees may then receive partial unemployment insurance benefits while working reduced hours.