To keep our members up-to-date on available resources and the Chamber response to Covid, for the foreseeable future the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce will issue emails at noon. These emails will contain a variety of information from local, state, and federal loans to the offerings of local businesses and best practices during this uncertain time. The U. Senate passed the House version of Paycheck Protection Program PPP legislation last night, tripling the time allotted for small businesses and other PPP loan recipients to spend the funds and still qualify for forgiveness of the loans.
This flexibility is designed to make it easier for more borrowers to reach full, or almost full, forgiveness. This must be done by Dec. The City of Worcester and the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce will co-host a Zoom call for restaurant owners who have questions about outdoor dining guidelines and application. The call will take place on Friday, June 5 from 12 noon to 1 pm. This meeting is free and open to all.
Registration is required. The Order also permits all Phase II enterprises, including retail, to begin preparations to safely resume operation in advance of the start of the second phase.
In addition to the retail sector, the Order details requirements for the safe resumption of amateur youth and adult sports and outdoor dining. Effective immediately, the Order permits Phase II businesses to reopen their physical workplaces to workers only to conduct necessary preparations prior to the start of Phase II.
The Executive Order permits restaurants to provide outdoor dining service with restrictions upon the start of Phase II; providing continued positive progression of public health data, indoor dining may be authorized by a subsequent order during Phase II. In order to provide improved opportunities for outdoor table service, the order also provides flexibility to a local licensing authority to grant approval for a change for any type of license that permits the sale of alcoholic beverages for on- premises consumption.
