California’s Legislature is continually seeking ways to relieve individuals and businesses from the financial hardships that may come from this crisis. Here is a comprehensive list of resources for businesses and individuals to reference for financial help in these trying times.
Health and Safety
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides interim guidance for businesses and employers.
- The California Department of Public Health has posted COVID-19 guidance for specific industries.
- Cal/OSHA has posted guidance to help employers comply with existing workplace safety requirements.
- The State Public Health Officer, in accordance with the Governor’s recent Executive Order N-33-20, has designated the following list of “Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers.” Updates available here.
Financial Assistance
- The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) can help connect businesses with capital or provide emergency relief through the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Assistance program, which offers up to $2 million in assistance with a 3.75% interest rate (2.75% for nonprofits). The California State Treasurer’s Office offers the California Capital Access Program (CalCAP) for small businesses by encouraging banks and other financial institutions to make loans to small businesses that have challenges obtaining financing.
- California’s Small Business Finance Center gives small businesses access to a range of financial products, including loan guarantees and direct loans. California maintains two credit enhancement programs to help small businesses obtain loans from traditional and nontraditional lenders, including the Small Business Loan Guarantee Program and the Small Business Loss Reserve Program.
- The UI Work Sharing Program is available for employers experiencing a slowdown in their businesses or services as a result of the coronavirus impact on the economy.
- The Rapid Response program will connect you with teams that will meet with you to discuss your needs, help avert potential layoffs, and provide immediate on-site services to assist workers facing job losses. For more information, refer to the fact sheet or contact your local Job Center of California.
- The California Small Business Development Center (SBDC) can help with applying for COVID-19 relief, guiding you through available resources, cash flow concerns, supply chain interruptions, workforce capacity, insurance coverage and more—at no cost.
- The Office of the Small Business Advocate provides a network of small business centers throughout the state to offer consulting and training and access to capital.
- The California Department of Tax and Fee Assistance (CDTFA) has been authorized by the Governor to provide relief to taxpayers during the 60-day window specified in the Governor’s Executive Order. Taxpayers may be granted extensions for filing returns, making payments, and relief from interest and penalties.
Additional Resources
- Additional COVID-19 resources for employers may be found through: the Governor’s Office of Business & Economic Development (GO-Biz), the California Technical Assistance Map, the National Federation of Small Business (NFIB), and the Small Business Majority.
- Information on COVID-19 and labor law may be found at the California Labor Commissioner’s FAQ relative to sick leave, wages, and other state labor issues, and guidance has been provided from the US Department of Labor on federal leave requirements and the Fair Labor Standards Act.
- Resources for workers impacted by COVID-19 are available here.
- The state has postponed income tax deadlines for filing and paying until July 1, 2020. When filing in July, taxpayers should write “COVID-19” in black ink at the top of the tax return. The property tax payment deadline of April 10 has not been extended. For taxpayers unable to pay their taxes, penalty relief is available. Taxpayers should contact their county tax collector for more details.