MATA ANNOUNCES NEW SOCIAL DISTANCING MEASURES

5:23 pm CST – The Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA) will implement temporary social distancing measures on its fleet of fixed-route, paratransit vehicles and Trolley cars. Read more >>

Mayor JIm Strickland expands list of required business closings

3:10 pm CST – Theaters, bowling alleys, private clubs, indoor and outdoor performance venues and other facilities where large groups may gather have been ordered to close effective at midnight. Read more>>

Takeout beer sales approved for Memphis restaurants

1:08 PM CST – The Memphis Alcohol Commission unanimously voted to allow restaurants to sell beer for delivery and takeout for now. Read more>>

SBA Begins webinars for COVID-19 disaster relief application

1:06 PM CST – SBA is offering free webinars and consultations starting today, March 21, to assist with the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program application. The SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan program provides small businesses with working capital loans of up to $2 million that can provide vital economic support to small businesses to help overcome the temporary loss of revenue they are experiencing.  View list of upcoming webinars>>

Kroger expands sick leave for diagnosed, quarantined employees

12:45 pm CST–  Kroger is expanding its sick leave to associates diagnosed with COVID-19 or under mandatory quarantine, company spokeswoman Kristal Howard said. Kroger will also “provide a one-time bonus to every hourly frontline” employee, which works out to $300 for every full-time employee and $150 for every part-timer, the company said in a news release. Kroger said two of its employees — one in Colorado and one in Washington state — have tested positive for coronavirus, CNN reported.

UTHSC Begins COVID-19 Testing at Tiger Lane

11:15 am CST – The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, working with the Shelby County Health Department and the City of Memphis, today began drive-thru testing for COVID-19 at Tiger Lane at the Memphis Fairgrounds. Read more>>

COVID-19 cases rise to 42 in Shelby County

11:00 am CST – The Shelby County Health Department has confirmed 42 cases of COVID-19, after a release on Saturday morning. The total number of confirmed cases in the Memphis metro area is 49. There are 228 confirmed cases in Tennessee and 15,599 in the United States. Read more>>

FEMA Launches rumor Control site

11:00 am CST – The purpose of this FEMA page is to help the public distinguish between rumors and facts regarding the response to coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Rumors can easily circulate within communities during a crisis, stay informed with our updated myth vs. facts related to the federal (COVID-19) response. Read more >>

DHS Relaxes Form I-9 Review Requirements

9:49 am.CST – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that it will defer the requirements for employers to review Form I-9 documents in-person with new employees. The change applies to employers and workplaces that are operating completely remotely. Read more>>

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COVID-19 IMPACT on office, retail & industrial Leases

8:00 am CST –The intensity with which the COVID-19 outbreak and the response to it has escalated continues to impact both landlords and tenants under commercial leases. It is safe to say that landlords and tenants will be viewing certain routine boilerplate language in leases differently in the future. Right now though, the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on businesses and business operations is raising uncertainty under commercial leases about issues best addressed with proactive assessment from tenants and landlords regarding their lease obligations, with a particular eye toward the following lease provisions: Read more>>

 

Despite Despite coronavirus outbreak, Tennessee governor won’t mandate business closures

2:21 am CST – Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee said Friday he believed businesses and churches that continue to draw crowds may worsen the spread of coronavirus, but unlike some other governors he won’t order the closure of these gathering places – at least for now. Read more>>

Visit our COVID-19 Business Resources Page for information to help Memphis area businesses minimize impact related to COVID-19. 

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