GLI Submits Re-Open Proposal to Governors Beshear & Holcomb, Get your PPE

In these unprecedented times, it can be difficult for our minds to decompress. From the sofa to the kitchen to the makeshift work station, we are constantly bombarded by unnerving news. We see countries and businesses and individuals affected by COVID-19. Healthcare workers on the front lines are giving their time, and sometimes their lives, to save others. It can seem overwhelming.

Jobs
As the month draws to a close, our sights turn to those who are struggling for work, and the companies that are working hard to determine new operations to bring them back. Our businesses and industries have been adversely affected by this crisis, but this is not the end result. GLI, in partnership with KentuckianaWorks and WorkOne Southern Indiana, have developed a job board so those who are looking for work can find it. Additionally, the group is also working to connect HR professionals laying off workers with other HR professionals who are hiring, considering translatable skill sets, competencies and hiring requirements as we connect employers. Contact Jessie Schook if you are an employer looking for assistance. Together, we will find a way out of this. Together, we will prevail.

Re-opening Recommendations
I am pleased to report that GLI’s Renewal Task Force has worked with industry leaders to develop a plan called Healthy at Work in Greater Louisville, a recommended re-entry proposal to engage the economy. We are all operating in uncertain times, but this proposal sets forth the recommended operational guidelines and phased recommendations to ensure that workers in Kentucky and Indiana can report to their stations with minimal concern for their safety. The proposal looked at five core industries for recommendations – advanced manufacturing & logistics, hospitality & civic assets, retail & business services, education & training, and health-related businesses.

Recommendations for phases one and two of operational standards include establishing and maintaining an adequate supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) for workers, limiting meeting sizes and non-essential deliveries, implementing social distancing, conducting on-site temperature screening and requiring employees to report any and all symptoms or known contact with someone testing positive for COVID-19, restricting entry once safe social distancing capacity is reached, and establishing protocol for school dismissals and closings.

Assuming operations have continued with no increase in employee illness, phase three would move toward a re-establishment of normal operations for all industries.

PPE for Your Workforce
However, we know that there are reasons to be concerned. Without adequate available testing and contact tracing, ample PPE, and a solution for childcare, many of the recommended solutions will not be enough. For companies looking to find PPE for their workers, we encourage you to visit our Crisis Support Hub to access vendors who are providing PPE in Greater Louisville. If you have difficulty acquiring PPE from this site or if you need PPE sooner than what is possible for the suppliers, please contact Deana Epperly Karem. We are securing some PPE for purchase by small businesses.

The Next Phase of Federal Relief
Congress has already passed four major legislative packages related to COVID-19. GLI has been in continuous communication with federal officials regarding the next relief package. Click here to see what’s next.

We Need Your Help

• Advocacy is an important part of COVID relief. Please take FOUR MINUTES to complete GLI’s Federal Policy Survey. Your responses to this survey will be critical to shaping GLI’s 2020-2021 federal policy priorities. The survey is intended for GLI investors only.
• In this time of crisis, tuition assistance matters. The Adult Education Attainment Steering Committee is working with employers to find innovative ways to support adult students who want to continue their education. The Steering Committee is encouraging employers who provide tuition assistance to still support students who get a Pass/Fail grade. Many times, the condition for tuition assistance is based on grades but many of our colleges have implemented a Pass/Fail format. Please continue to support your student employees by accepting this format.

Other Updates:

• If you’re looking for more details about the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), Frost Brown Todd unlocks the new rules and additional guidance as well as how to determine the forgiveness amount of your loan.
• Researchers from the University of Louisville are developing a robot to clean and disinfect areas where risk of exposure to COVID-19 exist.
• The New York Times recently published a story noting researchers have found COVID-19 RNA in the air as well as on surfaces in rooms, which could indicate that the virus is transmittable by air.
• Goodwill Industries of Kentucky has developed a COVID-19 support page that highlights resources like testing location, food and housing resources, utility relief, mental health resources and volunteer opportunities among more.