Headline News
COVID-19 News Updates for June 8, 2020
Guidelines for Opening Up America Again
President Trump has unveiled Guidelines for Opening Up America Again, a three-phased approach based on the advice of public health experts. These steps will help state and local officials when reopening their economies, getting people back to work, and continuing to protect American lives. Please click here for more information: Guidelines for Opening Up America Again
· Testing Overview (HERE)
· Testing Blueprint (HERE)
· Guidance for Cleaning and Disinfecting Public Spaces, Workplaces, Businesses, Schools and Homes (HERE)
· CDC guidance for Camps, Child Care Programs, Schools, Mass Transit, Restaurants And Bars, and Workplaces
· CDC Activities and Initiatives Supporting the COVID-19 Response and the President’s Plan for Opening America Up Again (HERE)
White House COVID-19 Updates
- President Trump Participates in a Roundtable with Law Enforcement (VIDEO)
- Remarks by President Trump on the Jobs Numbers Report (HERE)
- Readout from the Governors Briefing on COVID-19 Response & Re-Opening Efforts (HERE)
- Press Briefing by Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany (REMARKS, VIDEO)
- West Wing Reads | Best News Yet of 2020: Signs America’s Bouncing Back Fast (HERE)
Joint Statement by SBA Administrator Jovita Carranza and U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin Regarding Enactment of the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act (HERE)
- “We want to thank President Trump for his leadership and commend Leader McConnell, Leader Schumer, Speaker Pelosi, and Leader McCarthy for working on a bipartisan basis to pass this legislation for small businesses participating in the Paycheck Protection Program.”
IRS Warns Against COVID-19 Fraud; Other Financial Schemes (HERE)
- The Internal Revenue Service today reminded taxpayers to guard against tax fraud and other related financial scams related to COVID-19.
U.S. Department of Labor Offers Webinar on Coronavirus-Related Paid Sick Leave Requirements for Business Owners, Employers and Other Stakeholders (HERE)
- The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) in Chicago, is joining with the IRS and the U.S. Small Business Administration to discuss paid sick leave requirements, tax relief and other coronavirus-related information critical for employers and business owners during a webinar on June 12, 2020, from 11:00 a.m. to noon, CDT.
Contractor reinstates, Pays Back Wages to Employee after U.S. Department of Labor Finds Violation of Families First Coronavirus Response Act (HERE)
- A Maryland electrical contractor has reinstated an employee after an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) found the employer denied paid sick leave under the Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act (EPSLA) provisions of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA).
U.S. Department of Labor Awards Nearly $239 Million in Dislocated Worker Grants in Response to Coronavirus Public Health Emergency (HERE)
- The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the award of three Dislocated Worker Grants (DWGs) totaling $16,836,480 to help address the workforce-related impacts of the coronavirus public health emergency. These awards are funded under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which provided $345 million for DWGs to prevent, prepare for and respond to the coronavirus.
Georgia Company Pays Employee Back Wages after Wrongly Denying Emergency Paid Sick Leave in Families First Coronavirus Response Act (HERE)
- A West Point, Georgia, custom machine and fabrication company has paid $1,060 to an employee after the U.S. Department of Labor determined the employer wrongly denied emergency paid sick leave for a qualifying reason covered under the Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act (EPSLA) provisions of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA).
ICYMI: U.S. Department of Labor Acts to Help American Workers and Employers during the Coronavirus Pandemic (HERE)
- Last week, the U.S. Department of Labor took a range of actions to aid American workers and employers as our nation combats the coronavirus pandemic.
HUD Marks National Homeownership Month (HERE)
- “National Homeownership Month is especially meaningful this year as COVID-19 has transformed our homes into offices, classrooms, and sanctuaries,” said Len Wolfson, Acting Federal Housing Commissioner. “As we mark Homeownership Month, FHA staff are laser focused on helping hardworking families stay in their homes and protect their piece of the American dream.”
FDA Reissues Emergency Use Authorizations Revising Which Types of Respirators Can Be Decontaminated for Reuse (HERE)
- In response to public health and safety concerns about the appropriateness of decontaminating certain respirators, the agency is reissuing certain emergency use authorizations (EUAs) to specify which respirators are appropriate for decontamination.
- FDA Daily Roundup – June 5, 2020 (HERE)
USDA Approves Program to Feed Kids in Georgia and Iowa (HERE)
- U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today announced Georgia and Iowa have been approved to operate Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT), a new program authorized by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), signed by President Trump, which provides assistance to families of children eligible for free or reduced-price meals dealing with school closures.
Statement from Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband and Oregon U.S. Attorney Billy Williams on Oregon Governor’s Reopening Plan for Places of Worship (HERE)
- “The right to the free exercise of religion is one of our most cherished rights, and the Department of Justice is committed to ensuring that this right, and other fundamental rights, are preserved during the COVID-19 pandemic. As Attorney General Barr has stated, ‘even in times of emergency, when reasonable and temporary restrictions are placed on rights, the First Amendment and federal statutory law prohibit discrimination against religious institutions and religious believers.’ The Department of Justice will continue to prioritize Attorney General Barr’s Memorandum regarding Balancing Public Safety with the Preservation of Civil Rights.”
For the most up-to-date information, please see the below fact sheets and the CDC’s website: www.coronavirus.gov.
- COVID-19 By the Numbers
- Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic – Briefing Points
- Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic – FEMA Advisory