Regis COVID-19 Response
The Regis family is keeping all those affected by COVID-19 in our thoughts. Please know that we are doing all we can to help our clients through these turbulent times.
As we continue to monitor Coronavirus (COVID-19) developments, our main concern is the health and well-being of our team, our clients, and their employees. But we also understand that the services we provide are imperative to your business. We are working diligently to limit any impact by COVID-19 and we have taken several steps to ensure uninterrupted service to our clients.
Regis has:
- Enabled work from home capabilities for the majority of our employees
- Suspended non-essential business travel
- Deployed additional business units within the organization to respond to the increased volume of inbound calls and emails
- Replaced in-person interviews with video conference interviews
- Enabled web-based inter-company meetings as well as client meetings when appropriate
- Following all CDC guidelines to limit the spread of infectious disease
COVID-19 HR Guide for Employers
We are here to support you as COVID-19 continues to cause confusion, anxiety, and operating challenges. We have fielded thousands of calls and want to share this consolidated list of Frequently Asked Questions
(FAQs) and government-issued resources to help you and your team through the COVID-19 Pandemic. The COVID-19 HR Guide for Employers can be downloaded here.
Webinars
To view recorded versions, along with Q&A documents, of all webinars Regis has hosted regarding COVID-19, please click here. You can also see information for upcoming webinars.
CDC Resuming Business Toolkit
The Resuming Business Toolkit is designed to assist employers in slowing the spread of COVID-19 [1] and lowering the impact in their workplace when reintegrating employees into non-healthcare business settings. Not sure whether you’re ready to resume business? Use CDC’s decision tools [2-3] as a start.
Letters from Regis’ President
- A Message from our President re: COVID-19
- Letter from Regis’ President regarding new financing and tax relief for Businesses Dealing with the COVID-19 Crisis.
- Letter from Regis’ President – a PEO Does Not Negatively Influence Qualification a CARES Act loan.
- Regis Letter Regarding New IRS Guidance on SS Tax Deferral
CARES Act
On, March 27, 2020, Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act which enables small and medium-sized businesses to receive federal loans to cover payroll costs as defined in the Act. These loans can be forgiven for amounts expended during the 8-week period prescribed in the Act.
Linked here is a 10-page document prepared by the team at Zumpano Castro, summarizing Relief for Employers as detailed in the 883-page CARES Act.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has also prepared an excellent Small Business Guide and Checklist to answer questions about the Paycheck Protection Program, including:
- eligibility requirements
- borrowing limits
- loan forgiveness
You can also view a one page summary of the Paycheck Protection Program from the Treasury Department here.
PPP Loan Application
The form for filing for a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan has been released, but applications cannot be submitted until April 3.
The form can be downloaded here.
Interim Final Rules have been issued by the SBA and they can be found here.
NAPEO, our National Association, has prepared a letter for your use, which briefly describes the PEO relationship and assures the lender that the PEO will be providing the necessary wage information. The letter can be downloaded here.
NAPEO has also prepared an FAQ document addressing the PEO relationship in regard to PPP Loans and one-page analysis showing what qualifies as payroll costs.
The Treasury Department put out this borrower fact sheet and there is additional information as well as links to other key documents on Treasury’s CARES Act Website.
Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA)
On Tuesday, March 24, the Department of Labor (DOL) announced that the effective date of the leaves available through the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) will be April 1, 2020.
The DOL has posted an FAQ document and fact sheet on their website.
Also, here is a bullet-point summary of the FFCRA prepared by NAPEO.
DOL Notice Requirements
The United States Department of Labor has provided their sample notices and a related FAQ for paid leave. The DOL states that an employer can comply with the notice requirement by “emailing or direct mailing [the] notice to employees, or posting [the] notice on an employee information internal or external website.”
- These notices are to be posted by March 31st.
- The FAQ document can be found here.
- The sample notices can be found below:
- PLEASE NOTE: These posters may be updated and/or revised by the DOL prior to March 31st. We will let you know if that occurs.
Regis Paid Leave Request Forms
Regis Pay Codes
In an effort to assist you with COVID-19 related pay compliance, Regis has created four pay codes in Prism. Please click below to download the chart showing all pay codes and how they should be used.
Regis COVID-19 Pay Codes Chart
SBA Disaster Assistance in Response to the Coronavirus
The U.S. Small Business Administration is 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). For more information, click here or follow the links below.
- Coronavirus: Small Business Guidance and Loan Resources
- SBA Disaster Loan Assistance/ Online Application
- SBA Small Business Guidance and Loan Resources
- SBA Disaster Assistance in Response to Coronavirus
- Three Step Guide to Applying for an SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan
- Comprehensive Guide to the Express Bridge Loan Pilot Program
Find Local SBA Assistance Near You
Resources
We have several business document resources which can be viewed or downloaded by clicking on the document title.
COVID-19 Business Continuity Plan
Business Planning for COVID-19
Sample Work From Home Agreement
Sample Furlough Letter (COVID-19)
Sample Emergency Paid Sick Leave Policy
Sample Emergency Family and Medical Leave Policy
Downloadable Template for COVID-19 Message to Clients
Sample Notice Employee Face Coverings
Helpful Posters
10 Ways to Manage Respiratory Symptoms At Home
If you Have Been in Close Contact with Someone Who Has Covid-19
If You Have Been Told You Have Covid-19
If You or Someone You Have Been in Contact With Has Tested Positive
You Tested Positive – Now What?
Continued Monitoring
We will continue to monitor this ever-changing situation and will continue to keep you up-to-date on regulatory changes. In the meantime, we strongly urge you to familiarize yourself with the Center for Disease Control’s Interim Guidance for Businesses and Employers.
If you have any HR related questions about COVID-19, please fill out our contact form to the right at the top of the page and we will get back to you as quickly as possible.
Thank you and please stay safe during this time.