(This is a factual nuts-and-bolts question regarding the new bill signed in to law. It is not about the virus so please don’t move me to Quarantined).
My SO owns a pretty small but moderately successful dog grooming business. She has 5 employees, ALL are part time. Under this new bill that passed (is it called The CoronaVirus Relief Act??), we have no idea what the ins and outs are or what it means to us.
My state had two senators vote against the bill, citing “it further damages small businesses.” Their logic was that the mandate of paid sick leave would further cripple already struggling businesses. I think the analogy was “if you’re teetering on the edge, the last thing you want is for me to push you over it.”
I am not involved in the business. I am self-employed and do not understand much about this stuff. I am asking this on her behalf because she has no idea what was in the bill and no time to dig in or get with an advisor to figure out what it means. Believe it or not, with so many people staying home so often, she’s slammed (“now that I’m home with Buster all day I’m really realizing how stinky he is”). People are actually clamoring to get in before any form of a lock-down comes.
So, as a 5 employee business, what does this bill mean for her? If someone gets sick, she has to pay them sick leave? But she will be re-reimbursed at some point/via a tax break? Will she be required to pay employees if the government bans her from normal operations? What does the “really good loans available” to her mean?
Pretend I’m pretty dumb because I am.