News Archive

July 27, 2020 | Response and Recovery Resources for Small Businesses Impacted by COVID-19

The University of Georgia Small Business Development Center (SBDC) has 17 offices across the state, covering every county, with consultants available to assist small business owners as they respond and recover. The links provided below offer quick links to some of the resources and information related to including cash flow, payroll, marketing and the effect on your business operations.

In addition to the list of resources available on this page, our business consultants have put together a guide for small businesses. “Conquering a Business Crisis” is a checklist for businesses navigating through current circumstances.

Please consider us a resource to assist you during these challenging times let us know how we can be of service. You can find and connect with your local UGA SBDC office or send a message to our State Office in Athens. Many of our offices are working remotely, so if you do call and get a voicemail, we will work to return your call as soon as possible.

July 26, 2020 | OFFICE OF SECRETARY OF STATE JOINS FINANCIAL SECURITY EXPERTS FOR SECOND COVID FRAUD TELETOWN HALL

(ATLANTA) – The Office of Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger joined with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s Atlanta Regional Office and the Federal Trade Commission Southeast Regional Office to bring Georgians a free and educational teletown hall titled, “Avoiding Financial Scams: COVID-19 and Beyond.” The free event took place on Wednesday, July 22, 2020 from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. EST.

Now more than ever, scammers are actively looking for ways to manipulate vulnerable investors and are using COVID-19 to prey on fear. This town hall raised awareness of the hallmarks of scams and the new and innovative ways con artists are exploiting the pandemic.

“Criminals are getting more creative every day. From fake coronavirus small business loans to misleading or fraudulent investment opportunities, every vulnerable Georgian is at risk of losing money,” said Raffensperger. “I am proud to work with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Federal Trade Commission to help inform and protect Georgians from COVID-19 fraud.”

Speakers for the Wednesday event included Richard R. Best, Regional Director for the SEC Atlanta; Noula Zaharis, Director of the Georgia Secretary of State Securities and Charities Division; and Anna Burns, Regional Director for FTC Southeast Regional Office. The event was moderated by Donna Lowry, Host of GPB’s Lawmakers.

“We are happy to provide these virtual financial scams seminars to the people of Georgia,” said Zaharis. “We encourage all Georgians to be vigilant and learn how to spot common tricks con artists use to steal from investors.”

July 23, 2020 | Rural Georgia Businesses Protect Neighbors, Commit to Georgia Safety Promise

In no time, COVID-19 turned lives and business operations upside-down across America and around the world. While critical for defeating the novel coronavirus, social distancing and other necessary measures have had devastating effects on businesses large and small. However, Georgians and Georgia’s business community are resilient. Instead of shuttering their doors, businesses are adapting operations to protect employees and patrons alike by carefully implementing safety protocols and heeding guidelines put forth by the Governor and the Georgia Department of Public Health.

Rural Georgia businesses specifically have helped lead this charge, setting an example of good health and public safety for their communities, as evidenced by the number of businesses in our beloved rural towns and cities that have taken the Georgia Safety Promise.

In rural Georgia, hardworking businesswomen and men employ their neighbors, feed their friends, support their local schools and sports teams, worship and share victories together. They staff their local schools and hospitals. They don’t just need their community’s support for success – they support their community for the greater success of all.

The Georgia Safety Promise is just like that, and committing to the Georgia Safety Promise tells their neighbors and the folks they love – that they are doing more than ever to look out for them.

Launched in early July, the Georgia Safety Promise is a public-private partnership and health campaign that reminds folks of the importance of following COVID-19 safety guidelines by agreeing to simple, but critical, measures that help protect Georgians from the novel coronavirus, minimize its spread and keep Georgia open for business. Businesses who make the Georgia Safety Promise commit to four things: promoting social distancing, wearing face coverings, cleaning surfaces, and washing and sanitizing hands often.

And Rural Georgia has joined the effort to mask up.

In Albany, educational venues like Chehaw Park and Zoo, Thronateeska Heritage Center and Flint RiverQuarium joined together to present a united front in committing to the Georgia Safety Promise. By safely reopening and following the guidance provided by public health officials, these venues are able to not only help improve their local economies, but also provide the human interaction and experiences that so many have been craving during this difficult time.

From Espresso 41 Coffee Roasters and the LOCAL Kitchen down in Tifton, Carter’s Fried Chicken in Cuthbert, to the Dinner Bell up in Flintstone, rural Georgia’s restaurants and cafes are reopening their doors and setting an example for the entire state. Stores and shops including The Hope Chest in Dublin, Maggie Lane in Eatonton, and Broad Street Brooks in Louisville, have also committed to taking extra precautions to keep their employees and customers safe as we face this public health crisis together.

2020 has been a challenging year for businesses who have traditionally depended upon in-person customers for success, like restaurants, retailers, hotels, entertainment venues, and more. Now, following new health guidelines has increased operating costs in the vast majority of cases too. Considering the operational and emotional expenses, rural Georgia business’ resilience and willingness to commit to the Georgia Safety Promise has been incredibly admirable. Defeating this virus and keeping our economy open will take the cooperation of all Georgia communities – no matter their location or size. We would like to thank all of the businesses across our rural cities and towns who continue to promote health and safety as we fight COVID-19 together.

For additional information about the Georgia Safety Promise, please click here, and to view all of the Georgia businesses who have committed to keeping Georgia safe, please click here. To commit to the Georgia Safety Promise, please click here.

Author: Amy Carter, Deputy Commissioner, Rural Georgia Initiatives 
Posted July 24, 2020

July 15, 2020 | 740+ Make Georgia Safety Promise

ATLANTA – July 16, 2020 –Governor Brian P. Kemp today announced that 744 Georgia businesses, local authorities, officials, and individuals from across the state have committed to the Georgia Safety Promise. Launched a little over a week ago, the Georgia Safety Promise is a public-private partnership and safety campaign to remind Georgia businesses and the public of the importance of following COVID-19 safety guidelines by agreeing to simple - yet critical - measures that help protect Georgians from COVID-19, minimize spread of the virus, and keep Georgia open for business.

"As we work to slow the spread and continue fighting COVID-19, the cooperation of countless businesses, community groups, and individuals is crucial to our success as a state," said Governor Kemp. "With great businesses across Georgia leading the way, the Georgia Safety Promise unites leaders throughout the state under one common purpose: to do what is necessary to keep our citizens healthy and our state safely open for business. I am grateful for the partnership of so many who have made the promise to keep Georgians safe by promoting best practices and following the guidance of public health officials. With their help, I know we will emerge from this challenge stronger than ever."

Businesses that commit to the Georgia Safety Promise voluntarily agree to follow the latest guidelines and best practices from the Governor’s Office and the Georgia Department of Public Health. Participating Georgia businesses will receive a full digital toolkit of resources to share their commitment, including social media posts, signage for their business, and more. Bringing together the public and private sectors, the campaign encourages all Georgians to do their part to follow Department of Public Health guidelines to help keep themselves, their families, and others safe by wearing masks, maintaining a safe social distance, and regularly washing and sanitizing their hands.

In addition to signage in participating businesses, the Georgia Safety Promise campaign is being promoted on digital billboards around the state through the Outdoor Advertising Association of Georgia.

“Georgia has built numerous success stories on public-private partnerships, and the Georgia Safety Promise is a new partnership and an important step toward keeping Georgians safe and our state’s businesses open,” said Georgia Department of Economic Development Commissioner Pat Wilson. “Consumer confidence and responsible activity are critical to success, and we appreciate the Georgia Department of Public Health, our partners, and all businesses taking steps to keep employees and patrons healthy.”

To learn more and make the Georgia Safety Promise, visit www.GeorgiaSafetyPromise.com.

Contact
Candice Broce, Director of Communications & Deputy Executive Counsel
Office of Governor Brian P. Kemp
candice.broce@georgia.gov

Cody Hall, Press Secretary
Office of Governor Brian P. Kemp
cody.hall@georgia.gov

July 7, 2020 | CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) ACT

On March 27, 2020, the President signed the CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) Act to expand unemployment insurance benefits and other economic relief measures aimed at reducing the economic impact of the novel coronavirus 2019 (“COVID-19”) pandemic and authorized $2.1 trillion in aid to various sectors of the economy. This economic relief package is in addition to the Family First Corona Virus Response Act.

CARES includes the following:

Pandemic Unemployment Assistance or PUA, is the program that will provide unemployment benefits to those not ordinarily eligible for them. This includes individuals who are self-employed, gig workers, 1099 independent contractors, employees of churches, employees of non-profits or those with limited work history who will not qualify for state unemployment benefits.

The Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program, or FPUC, provides a $600 supplement per week to any individual eligible for any of the Unemployment Compensation programs - State and Federal. Those who receive this benefit and were receiving UI benefits at that time will get benefits back to April 4, 2020. The FPUC program is scheduled to end with the week ending July 25, 2020.

The Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation program, or PEUC, allows for up to an additional 13 weeks of benefits added to the end of regular unemployment benefits. This means claimants may collect unemployment benefits for a longer period of time than under normal circumstances. Claimants are potentially eligible if they have been unemployed between March 29 through December 26, 2020 and have exhausted regular state or federal benefits after July 6, 2019. Individuals must be ineligible for state or federal benefits and able and available to work.

State Extended Benefits, or SEB, is an extension of benefits that occurs when a state meets the unemployment rate threshold for a designated period. Georgia became eligible to pay SEB May 10, 2020. However, the first payable week ending date (WED) was July 4, 2020 based on the first payable WED of PEUC was April 4, 2020 for 13 weeks. As of July 5, 2020, Georgia began a high unemployment period in the Extended Benefits program increasing the maximum potential entitlement for claimants from 13 weeks to 20 weeks.

July 5, 2020 | Gov. Kemp Launches “Safety Promise” Campaign to Urge Georgians to Heed Public Health Guidance

ATLANTA – July 6, 2020 – Governor Brian P. Kemp today introduced the Georgia Safety Promise, a safety campaign to remind Georgia businesses and the public of the importance of following COVID-19 safety guidelines by agreeing to simple - yet critical - measures that help protect Georgians from COVID-19, minimize spread of the virus, and keep Georgia open for business.

“As we continue to fight COVID-19, we want to ensure Georgia businesses and the public are abiding by public health guidance in order to keep Georgia healthy and open for business,” said Governor Kemp. “The Georgia Safety Promise is a pledge between business owners and and the public to join together to maintain a safe environment following Georgia Department of Public Health and CDC guidelines. By working together, we can continue to protect the lives and livelihoods of all Georgians.”

Businesses that commit to the Georgia Safety Promise voluntarily agree to follow the latest guidelines from the Governor’s Office and the Georgia Department of Public Health - including promoting social distancing, wearing face coverings, cleaning surfaces, and washing and sanitizing hands. Participating Georgia businesses will receive a full digital toolkit of resources to share their commitment, including social media posts, signage for their business, and more.

All Georgians can personally commit to the Georgia Safety Promise by following basic safety guidelines when in public spaces, including practicing social distance, wearing a face covering, washing and sanitizing hands, and supporting businesses that have committed to the Georgia Safety Promise.

“Under the leadership of Governor Kemp, and with the full support and engagement of the business community and the public, we will continue to work collaboratively to keep Georgia open for business while safeguarding the health of all Georgians,” said Kathleen E. Toomey, M.D., M.P.H., commissioner of the Georgia Department of Public Health. “The promise to practice social distancing, to wear a face covering in public, and to wash your hands is a small commitment that will have a powerful, positive impact on the future of our state.”

“Now is a vital time for businesses to do everything they can to boost and restore consumer and employee confidence,” said Karen Bremer, CEO of the Georgia Restaurant Association. “Businesses can think of the Georgia Safety Promise as a complimentary marketing asset that will help communicate your commitment to your patrons’ health and well-being. When you submit your declaration, you will receive a toolkit that includes social media graphics and sample posts, a sample press release announcement, and a downloadable decal that you can display to the public. I hope every business in Georgia takes advantage of this opportunity and, in turn, sees a growth in sales and overall customer confidence.”

“We are excited to partner with state agencies, associations, and business leaders on this public-private coalition to launch the Georgia Safety Promise,” said Georgia Department of Economic Development Commissioner Pat Wilson. “This voluntary program encourages Georgians to help keep themselves and others healthy while enjoying our beautiful state. By supporting the Georgia Safety Promise, companies pledge to follow the latest public health guidelines and safely re-open their doors to employees and customers alike."

The Georgia Safety Promise campaign is led by the Office of the Governor and is supported by the Georgia Department of Economic Development, Georgia Department of Public Health, Georgia Bankers Association, Georgia Hotel & Lodging Association, Georgia Retailers Association, Georgia Restaurant Association, and Georgia NFIB.

To commit to the pledge and to learn more about the Georgia Safety Promise, visit www.GeorgiaSafetyPromise.com.

Contact
Candice Broce, Director of Communications & Deputy Executive Counsel
Office of Governor Brian P. Kemp
candice.broce@georgia.gov

Cody Hall, Press Secretary
Office of Governor Brian P. Kemp
cody.hall@georgia.gov

July 1, 2020 | June Jobs Numbers Shatter Expectations

A Record 4.8 Million Jobs Created in June, Beating Record Set Last Month

Our Nation’s economy has broken another record as 4.8 million jobs were added in June, bringing the economic comeback to 7.5 million jobs added over the past two months, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ June Employment Situation report.

May and June rank as the two largest monthly jobs gains in history, with June’s numbers exceeding expectations once again. In June, nearly every major employment sector enjoyed a gain in jobs, with the leisure and hospitality industry seeing a gain of 2.1 million and retail trade increasing by 740,000. These gains likely reflect the reopening of State economies from May (based on the work week including May 12) through June (based on the work week including June 12).

Millions of Americans have felt the costs of the economic shutdown due to COVID-19, and while the speed of this recovery has far exceeded expectations, jobs have still not recovered the ground lost since the economic shutdown began. From February to April, nearly 22.2 million total jobs were lost. Over the past two months, 7.5 million (33.8 percent) of those jobs have returned. Figure 1 shows that while the leisure and hospitality industry saw the largest gains over the past two months, the industry still has 4.8 million jobs to make up to reach its pre-COVID level.

Additionally, the BLS June Employment Situation report estimates that the overall unemployment rate fell by a record 2.2 percentage points in June to 11.1 percent, and by 3.6 percentage points over the past two months.

Even the 3.6 percentage point reduction in the official unemployment rate since April likely understates the actual progress made. As BLS Commissioner William Beach recently explained, the unique circumstances COVID-19 caused has led the household employment survey to misclassify some workers as “employed” who should have been classified as “unemployed” due to temporary business closures. As the Council of Economic Advisers (CEA) has previously noted in our May 8th blog, addressing this issue could have resulted in an unemployment rate upward of 19 percent in April. When accounting for this misclassification, CEA finds that the unemployment rate of 19.6 percent in April has fallen to 12.3 percent as of June (see figure 2). This 7.2 percentage point reduction is twice as large as the 3.6 percentage point reduction in the official unemployment rate over the same period.

The economic comeback has reduced unemployment across the board for several demographic groups. According to the BLS, the unemployment rate fell by 3.1 percentage points for Hispanic Americans and by 1.4 percentage points for Black Americans. In fact, Black Americans enjoyed the second largest employment gain on record, and female Black Americans over age 20 experienced the largest employment gain on record. Additionally, the female unemployment rate fell by 2.7 percentage points, which is larger than the decrease for men for the second straight month. As America’s businesses have reopened, teenagers saw a 6.7 percentage point unemployment rate reduction last month, consistent with the large job gains in the leisure and hospitality and retail trade industries.

While June’s jobs report is undoubtedly positive news for our Nation, millions of Americans continue to suffer due to the COVID-19 pandemic. An increasing number of long-term unemployed workers remain, low-wage earners still make up a smaller portion of the labor force, and more than one in every ten workers remains unemployed. The successes in the jobs report, however, should provide a source of optimism for all Americans as we look toward the future.

For two consecutive months, we have experienced the largest job gains in history, and the resilience of the American people remains strong as we have recovered roughly one-third of the COVID-related job losses from March and April. As we look ahead, we should be mindful of the work that remains, so that the forgotten Americans are forgotten no more.

Article posted from original article here.

June 29, 2020 | Georgia Public Assembly Facilities COVID-19 Reopening Guide Now Available

ATLANTA – June 30, 2020 – The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD), in conjunction with the Georgia Facilities Working Group, today released a best practices guide to reopening public assembly facilities in the state, such as live entertainment and sports venues, museums, and retail stores. The guide is issued ahead of the reopening of large and small live performance venues on July 1, as allowed in state executive  orders  06.11.20.01 and 06.29.20.02. The public assembly facilities COVID-19 reopening guide can be found online at GDEcD’s website here.

The Georgia Facilities Working Group includes a wide array of state and municipally owned institutions, universities, professional sports teams, and arts organizations, and was charged with providing recommendations to safely reopen public assembly facilities within the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. The reopening guide is based on standards and guidelines provided by federal, state, and local governments, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and public health organizations as of June 2020, so that Georgia facilities can use appropriate recommendations in determining how to safely and responsibly reopen to the public. It also stresses developing a robust communications plan regarding safety and well-being tailored to the employees, guests, and anyone expected to visit or do business at the facility.

“Our public events facilities bring us together in common purpose, and we are proud to stand with our Georgia business, events, and arts communities as more venues continue to safely reopen,” said Georgia Department of Economic Development Commissioner Pat Wilson. “As more Georgians return to work, it is critical that we operate safely, using measures that will preserve our health and the health of others. I thank the Georgia Facilities Working Group for providing a practical guide to help our state’s patrons and visitors safely enjoy all that Georgia has to offer.”

The document notes that by reopening, these facilities will not only help improve Georgia’s economy, but “more importantly, provide the human interaction and common experiences we crave.”

“The Fox Theatre team was honored to support Governor Kemp’s office and the Georgia Department of Economic Development by spearheading this project with State Farm Arena, to create a scalable and sustainable solution to help Georgia venues safely reopen,” said Fox Theatre President and CEO Allan Vella. “We collaborated with our counterparts at many of the state’s top organizations, including Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Georgia World Congress Center, the Tour Championship, Cobb-Marietta Coliseum & Exhibit Hall Authority, and the University of Georgia, to develop guideposts to instill confidence that all facilities statewide will be prepared to open safely when it is feasible to do so.”

The guidelines also note that entertainment, sports and facility management industries have made every effort to be collaborative in finding common solutions to the issues the industries are collectively facing, and best practices from industry associations have been adopted.

In addition to the Fox Theatre and Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, members of the Georgia Facilities working group include leaders from top venues across the state, including The Atlanta Opera, Alliance Theater, the Cobb Galleria Centre, the Georgia World Congress Center, State Farm Arena, and The Woodruff Arts Center in Atlanta; the Classic Center and the University of Georgia Athletic Association in Athens; the Miller Theater in Augusta; the RiverCenter for the Performing Arts in Columbus; the Infinite Energy Center, Explore Gwinnett, and Gwinnett Sports Commission in Gwinnett County; and the TOUR Championship - PGA Tour; among others. A full list of members of the Georgia Facilities Working Group is available on page 23 of the best practices guide here.

As Georgia continues to safely reopen for more public activities, all Georgians are urged to get tested for COVID-19. For more information on active testing sites across Georgia and how to schedule an appointment, click here.

The Georgia Facilities Working Group Reopening Guide is available here.

June 24, 2020 | Could You Be Part of the COVID-19 Solution?

Georgia industries are world renowned for their ability to innovate and collaborate in the face of a global health crisis, and companies in the State of Georgia have responded to the novel coronavirus pandemic across multiple fronts. Our life sciences companies in particular are breaking barriers and discovering new ways to work together, and now they need your help.

Takeda, a leading pharmaceutical company with manufacturing facilities in Georgia, is co-leader of the newly created CoVIg-19 Plasma Alliance. This first-of-its kind collaboration pools the expertise of pharmaceutical companies and researchers to develop a treatment option for patients battling COVID-19.

One of the potential therapies for COVID-19 is dependent on plasma donations from survivors. When people recover, they develop virus-fighting “convalescent plasma” antibodies in their blood. By collecting convalescent plasma from numerous donors and concentrating the antibodies into a possible therapy, the CoVIg-19 Plasma Alliance can potentially develop ways to assist those fighting COVID-19.

Development and manufacturing of this potential therapy is taking place in Georgia, at Takeda’s manufacturing facility in Stanton Springs. The Alliance will work with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to test the safety, tolerability and efficacy of the hyper immune therapy in adult patients with COVID-19.

The success of this alliance and a potential solution depends heavily on plasma donations from across the world. If you, or someone you know, has recovered from COVID-19, please visit covig-19plasmaalliance.org/en-us for additional information about becoming a plasma donor and being a part of the COVID-19 solution.

By: EJane Caraway
Posted: June 25, 2020

June 10, 2020 | Georgia Again Recognized for Excellence in Attracting Jobs and Investment

Atlanta, June 11, 2020 –Governor Brian P. Kemp today announced that Georgia has received its 12th Shovel Award – its 11th consecutive such award – recognizing the state’s excellence in attracting investment and creating jobs. Georgia’s Silver Shovel Award is presented by Area Development, the leading executive magazine covering corporate site selection and relocation.

“It’s an honor to accept this award on behalf of all of the hardworking Georgians who consistently create opportunities in their communities,” said Governor Kemp. “For eleven years in a row, Georgia has earned this recognition thanks to our pro-business environment, unmatched workforce, world-renowned logistics, and longstanding commitment to attracting jobs to every corner of the state. I want to thank our state’s economic development team and our local partners for their tireless work to promote prosperity throughout the Peach State.”

Area Development’s annual Shovel Awards give recognition to state and local economic development agencies that leverage innovative policies, workforce development, and logistics hubs to drive investment and job creation. All states were invited to submit information to Area Development on major groundbreakings, investments, and business expansions occurring in 2019.

“This award recognizing jobs and investment in Georgia represents more than a decade of Georgia’s unwavering support for economic development,” said Georgia Department of Economic Development Commissioner Pat Wilson. “It represents strong relationships and leadership at every level of our state. I thank Governor Kemp, our legislature, our state economic development team, and all of our partners across the state for helping us establish such a solid framework of diverse industries that will keep Georgia on the path of growth.”

A report on the 2020 Shovel Award Winners is published in the Q2/2020 issue of Area Development online here.

About Area Development
Founded in 1965, Area Development magazine is considered the leading executive magazine covering corporate site selection and relocation. Editorial coverage provides valuable information pertinent to the factors, key issues, and criteria that affect a successful decision.

Contact
Candice Broce, Director of Communications & Deputy Executive Counsel
Office of Governor Brian P. Kemp
candice.broce@georgia.gov

Cody Hall, Press Secretary
Office of Governor Brian P. Kemp
cody.hall@georgia.gov

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