D.C. is rolling out a new program to help small businesses and workers who could previously not have applied for unemployment get access to funds to ease their financial stress.
The city is also reminding small businesses about a program that lets them access shared support and avoid layoffs.
Restaurateur Geoff Tracy said two days after the coronavirus closures hit the end of the payroll, he had to lay off every single employee.
“It was emotionally crushing. My brother and I are partners. It was just, tears; everybody is crying,” said Tracy, who had to cut the wages of people he had employed and grown to care about for over his 20 years in business.
“It is the paycheck protection program that saved us from having to think about how to survive tomorrow. Now we have a two-month strategy. What comes after that, I don’t know,” Tracy said.
Because that program requires businesses to hire workers back, Tracy started with 15 staffers and is working his way back to 200.
In the early weeks of the stay-at-home and closure orders, he raised $47,000 in an online campaign for hourly workers who had recently lost income.
Like many businesses, he has come up with creative ways to keep his nonessential workers from losing a paycheck, such as putting waiters to work as delivery drivers.
“We don’t need servers or bartenders, but I could use people to clean the kitchen. I could use people to paint the restaurant,” he said.
So when he learned D.C. is offering assistance to workers who were previously not eligible to receive unemployment, Tracy wanted to know more.
He is curious to see if D.C.’s Pandemic Unemployment Assistance can help his business and employees, but he knows other restaurants are in need, too.
“We know the PUA will provide relief to people who would not have been eligible for unemployment. They include gig workers, independent contractors, self-employed individuals, church employees, nonprofit and government employees and those who have exhausted their regular and extended benefits,” Bowser said Wednesday.
She said it means an extra $600 per week for 13 weeks in the pocket of workers.
“Individuals who wish to be notified when the system is able to receive applications, April 24, you can email us at pua@dc.gov,” she said.
Bowser also alerted residents to the Shared Work Program.
“This program basically allows employers to avoid layoffs by reducing hours and sharing what is left of the work among all employees. Employees can then collect unemployment benefits to replace the part of the money they lost with reduced work hours,” she said. “It helps employers avoid the cost of having to rehire and train new workers.
Tracy is not sure if his business can benefit from the Shared Work Program, but he said many small businesses and restaurants who have not yet seen their federal assistance check come through could use the help.
Pantry items today at CG today. We have eggs and milk too. All pantry profits go to team working that day. pic.twitter.com/ypaVA28kWJ
— Geoff Tracy 💚🥓 (@chefgeoffs) April 10, 2020
Meanwhile, Chef Geoff’s and Lia’s restaurants are selling takeout and pickup meals as well as pantry items, including toilet paper and bleach. Tracy said 50% of the pantry proceeds help his workers.
“The restaurant business was fragile going into this thing, and it’s in a very unknown status right now,” Tracy said.
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