Logo for: NOWRA

Federal Emergency Loans, Tax Relief and Other Programs

Families First Coronavirus Response Act

This legislation does two things. First, it requires employers with fewer than 500 employees to grant up to 10 weeks paid leave. The first two weeks of the FMLA 12-week leave provision can be unpaid. The second provision requires employers with fewer than 500 employees to provide up to 80 hours of paid leave to full-time employees who miss work due to coronavirus-related issues.

  • US Chamber of Commerce - Families First Coronavirus Response Act: What Businesses Need to Know

Overview of Federal Emergency Loan Programs

There are several new programs recently passed by Congress to help small businesses and their employees cope with the fallout from the Coronavirus oubreak. A bit of important advice: Apply early and expect delays.

You should plan to apply as soon as possible, as there is are caps on the amount of money available in various programs. You should also be prepared to be patient and persistent. Most of the groups responsible for providing funding – your local bank, state unemployment offices, the Small Business Administration, and FEMA – are going to be overwhelmed trying to process record numbers of applications and supporting documents. It’s not unreasonable to expect long wait times, crashed websites, and very slow processing of successful applications.

General Relief Program Information

Paycheck Protection Program

This is the primary source of relief for small businesses. Apply early! Funding has a cap.

Economic Injury Disaster Loans

Some NOWRA members may be able to secure assistance under SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Program. There are more restrictions on access to funds, but it may still be applicable to your business.

Tax Relief

Join the country's go-to onsite wastewater organization for training opportunities, industry updates, & professional services—and to make sure your voice is heard in Washington.

Become a Member