Special E-Update About COVID-19

After hearing many concerns from the people of the 92nd Assembly District, I have compiled a list of resources for those affected by COVID-19. My hope is that communicating the following resources and information proves to be useful to members of our local communities during this challenging time in our lives. 

Extraordinary Session on COVID-19 

On Tuesday, April 14, 2020, my colleagues and I in the Wisconsin State Assembly passed Assembly Bill 1038, more commonly referred to as the Coronavirus Response Bill, to address the many concerns resulting from this public health emergency. This package creates numerous temporary waivers and suspensions to combat the COVID-19 public health emergency declared by Governor Tony Evers in Executive Order #72.

Unemployment Benefits

I am happy to have taken the lead in the Assembly on suspending the one-week waiting period during this public health emergency. I believe that this is very important, of course among many other actions, to help our hard-working folks in the 92nd Assembly District as well as across our state.

The one-week waiting period will be suspended for Wisconsinites to be able to receive benefits through unemployment insurance during the health emergency. This will be retroactive to March 12, 2020 and will last until February 7, 2020. It requires that the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD) seeks the maximum amount of federal reimbursement for you, the hard-working individual during such a difficult time.

Under the Federal CARES Act, there will be 100% federal funding for the first week of the unemployment insurance benefits with no one-week waiting period. This is where the suspension of the one-week waiting period by the Wisconsin Legislature provides the compensation paid to individuals for the first regular week of unemployment. 

 Open Enrollment

There is a general modification being made to the regular application procedure for the full-time open enrollment program for this upcoming school year. The deadline that is currently the last weekday in April will be extended to May 29, 2020. 

Property Tax Relief

In the package passed today in the Assembly, there is a temporary change being made to property taxes. For any property taxes that are due after April 1, 2020, local governments have the ability to waive interest charges and penalties for late payments as long as the payments are made in full by October 1, 2020. However, if you pay your property taxes after October 1, 2020, then you will be subject to the interest charges and penalties because they will be considered a late installment after that date. 

Price Gouging 

We are seeing an increase in price gouging due to the public health emergency with products such as toilet paper, paper towels, fabric, hand sanitizer, and many others.

If you suspect price gouging and want to report, please visit the following link: https://mydatcp.wi.gov/Complaints/complaint/create/da42c589-da19-e511-af89-0050568c06ae

 Helpful COVID-19 Links

If Your Job Has Been Impacted:

• Unemployment benefits -- To begin the process of filing for unemployment, start at https://dwd.wisconsin.gov/uiben/ and then click on “Apply for Benefits Online”.  You will also see an option called “Handbook for Claimants”. This handbook will answer almost any question you may have.
• For those seeking new or temporary work – You can view what work is available in various occupations right from your home. Go to http://wisconsinjobcenter.org/lookforjobs/in-demand.htm to begin.

If Your Business Has Been Impacted:

Small Business 20/20 – Businesses with 20 or fewer employees may be eligible for up to $2,000 over two months to cover costs such as rent, payroll, and utility bills to provide relief for fixed monthly expenses. Small businesses must apply for the grant through a local Community Development Financial Institution.

SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program – Businesses with 500 or fewer employees may qualify for up to a $2 million loan with interest rates of 3.75% for for-profit and 2.75% for nonprofits and payments for up to 30 years. As of today, businesses may also defer payments on these loans for 12 months.

• Loans can be used for working capital to keep business open and cover fixed costs and bills.
• When filing out an application, SBA staff recommend saving your information, as the website has kicked individuals off while completing the application.
• If possible, “non-essential businesses” are encouraged to have employees work from home and maintain minimal basic operations such as payroll and security for your business. For more information, please visit the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) at https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/136/PPP--Fact-Sheet.pdf.

Find more loan and grant information at: https://wedc.org/programs-and-resources/covid-19-response/.

Many questions have been raised about what businesses qualify as “essential”. The “Safer At Home” order outlines “essential businesses” as well as provisions for “manufacturing, distribution, and supply chain for critical products and industries.” This information can be found on page 14 section v. of the order. If you are unsure if your business is essential, WEDC recommends reviewing this provision before contacting them. You can read the order at https://evers.wi.gov/Documents/COVID19/EMO12-SaferAtHome.pdf.

 COVID-19 Updates:

For more information on COVID-19 at the state level, please visit: https://govstatus.egov.com/wi-covid-19   or https://evers.wi.gov/Pages/Home.aspx

For more information on COVID-19 at the federal level, please visit: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html  or https://www.coronavirus.gov

Contacting My Office

My capitol office is here to help you with general inquiries as well as questions and concerns regarding legislative matters. Feel free to contact me or my staff. We are always ready to assist you in your needs. Please visit my website for press releases and other Capitol updates.