Together, we’re driving the Greater Memphis region forward, making it a leader in business agility and success. Join the Greater Memphis Chamber in honoring the collaboration, innovation, and transformation that are making Memphis Greater every day.
by Amy Daniels
The Greater Memphis Chamber is hosting a free webinar with the US Small Business Association to review the SBA Disaster Loan program for COVID-19. This webinar will feature a review of the SBA’s program as well as details on the application process.
[Read more…] about Chamber to host SBA Loan Application process webinar
by Amy Daniels
Testing for COVID-19 is limited and currently being offered to those who are symptomatic, contacts of confirmed cases, or who work in the healthcare field. Patients must meet certain exposure criteria in order to be tested for COVID-19. If you suspect that you have been exposed to someone who has confirmed COVID-19 and have mild to moderate symptoms, please call your healthcare provider or the COVID-19 hotline: 833-943-1658.
Do not show up to a doctor’s office or healthcare center for COVID-19 testing unless you were instructed to do so by your provider or have an appointment.
Do not show up to an emergency department for testing or treatment unless you have called ahead to notify them first.
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced free COVID-19 testing will be available for any Tennessean, regardless of traditional symptoms, as the Unified-Command group ramps up an aggressive effort to expand testing capacity across the state.
The expanded testing effort launched the weekend of April 18-19, 2020, with the Tennessee National Guard popping up 15 drive-through testing sites across the state. Drive-through testing sites will also be available during the weekends of April 25-26 and May 2-3.
See below a list of COVID-19 assessment sites in the Greater Memphis area:
by Amy Daniels
Memphis, Tenn. March 23, 2020 –The Greater Memphis Chamber has launched a new Job Listing page for companies with immediate hiring needs in the Memphis area. The site can be accessed from the Chamber’s COVID-19 Business Resources Page.
[Read more…] about Who’s Hiring? Greater Memphis Chamber launches list of job openings in Memphis
by Amy Daniels
4:58 pm CST – Following Gov. Lee’s request for Tennessee school districts to remain closed until April 24, Shelby County Schools announced that SCS schools and district offices would remain closed until further notice. Read more >>
4:20 pm CST – Tennessee schools are to remain closed for another month, Gov. Bill Lee announced on Tuesday, just over a week after he first urged districts around the state to shut down through the end of March. Read more >>
2:45 pm CST – The Greater Memphis Chamber in partnership with the US Small Business Association is hosting a free webinar tomorrow, March 25th at 10 am CST to review the application process for disaster loans related to COVID-19. Read more>>
2:00 pm CST – The Shelby County Health Department has confirmed 135 cases of COVID-19 with 176 confirmed cases in the Memphis metro area. 667 confirmed cases have been reported in the state of Tennessee. 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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11:00 am CST – While communities that regularly experience natural disasters like hurricanes, tornadoes, and earthquakes are familiar with FEMA’s Public Assistance process, the President’s recent declaration of a nationwide emergency under the Stafford Act encompasses every state, including tens of thousands of eligible applicants (if not more) for disaster assistance, many of which are navigating unfamiliar territory. Recognizing the logistical and bureaucratic challenges this unprecedented response effort will bring, FEMA is actively working to develop a simplified application and funding process. In this alert, we provide an overview of the Public Assistance process for COVID-19 – for new and experienced applicants. Read more >>
7:00 am CST – Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris announced Monday a planned executive order requiring that all county residents stay at home. Excluded from the order are those performing essential services. The order is effective Tuesday, March 24 at 6 p.m. Read more >>
6:50 am CST – The Greater Memphis Chamber has launched an ongoing list of business in the Memphis area who are hiring. See available jobs>>
by Amy Daniels
One of the key questions we are getting at the moment from Memphis area companies is how to determine whether or not they are considered an essential business. While this information is fluid, below we have outlined how essential businesses are classified as of March 19, 2020.
With the potential of current recommendations from federal, state, and local officials around business closings potentially turning into more universal “orders” and “mandates” in reaction to the coronavirus pandemic, determining what institutions will be deemed as “essential” and thereby allowed to remain open is critical.
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[Read more…] about What constitutes an “Essential Business” Qualification?
by Amy Daniels
12:10 am CST – Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland has issued a Safer at Home Order for the City of Memphis effective at 6pm on March 24, 2020 through midnight April 7, 2020 — directing all residents of Memphis to stay inside their homes, and immediately limit all movement outside of their homes beyond what is absolutely necessary to take care of essential needs. Under this order, Memphis residents may still go to grocery stores and perform other necessary duties. Read more >>
11:15 am CST – The number of confirmed cases in Shelby County has reached 84. Read more >>
9:00 am CST – CISA has developed an initial list of “Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers” to help state and local officials. The Chamber provides an overview of those guidelines as of today. Read more >>
6:00 am CST – Memphis area healthcare workers are in need of personal protective equipment (PPE). The Memphis Medical Society is asking for N95 masks and protective eye equipment. Donate Here >>
by Amy Daniels
4:40 pm CST – – Effective Tuesday, March 24, 2020, the Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA) will only transport MATAplus paratransit customers to work, medical-related destinations (including dialysis, doctor appointments and pharmacies) and to purchase/collect food from grocery stores, restaurants, or food distribution centers at non-profit organizations. Read more >>
2:30 pm CST – Based on CDC guidance, Mayor Strickland is asking employers to adopt the following practices:
1. Encourage staff who can to telework
2. Consider the following measures to achieve social distances requirement
– Spacing workers at the worksite
– Staggering work schedules
– Decreasing social contacts in the workplace (limit in-person meetings)
– All break areas must accommodate distancing
– Reducing the capacity of customers
3. Strive for flexible leave policies for staff who need to stay home due to school/childcare dismissals.
by Amy Daniels
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 >>
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>>
1:08 PM CST – The Memphis Alcohol Commission unanimously voted to allow restaurants to sell beer for delivery and takeout for now. Read more>>
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>>
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.
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>>
by Amy Daniels
As the U.S. grapples with our new reality fighting COVID-19, it puts things in perspective. What we need, what we want, and how we should carry on are all questions Memphians are asking themselves. This is a very scary time for brands. Companies in most verticals have seen a real slowdown in traffic and sales. As we come to terms with a new normal, the way we leverage marketing channels needs to shift.
[Read more…] about How to maintain a social media presence during a crisis
by Amy Daniels
Memphis, Tenn. (March 20, 2020)- In an effort to quantify impact on local businesses, the Greater Memphis Chamber has launched a COVID-19 Greater Memphis Business Impact Survey. The first survey was distributed to Chamber member businesses on March 19.
by Amy Daniels
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The COVID-19 virus could be the single greatest threat to business continuity over the next 12-18 months and has caused us to re-evaluate how we work. Manufacturers are looking for ways to keep employees, customers, suppliers and their communities healthy. Expectations are that this global pandemic could last months, and employers need to develop strategies to protect employees and their ability to conduct business for a sustained period. Manufacturers are coming together to share their best practices. Here is a summary of those best practices. These are not designed to be for every manufacturer but an example that could be adopted/modified for your business: |
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1. Meet with all employees and discuss good hygiene habits such as washing hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Hand sanitation should occur every 30 minutes. Coughs and sneezes should occur in the elbow and employees need to refrain from touching their eyes, mouth and face. Remind employees of these good habits daily if possible. 2. Increase hand sanitizers availability throughout the facility with sanitizer that is at least 60% alcohol content. 3. Implement workstation disinfection every work shift. Desks, benches, computers, keyboards, tools, phones, etc., should be cleaned with disinfectant each work shift. For shared workstations the off-going shift wipes down and disinfects their workstation at the end of the shift and then the on-coming shift also wipes down and disinfects the workstation prior to work. 4. Increase cleaning in “high touch” areas to every 2 hours. These areas are doorknobs, bathrooms and cafeterias/break rooms. 5. Implement a 6 ft social distance policy wherever possible. No handshakes, fist bumps or any physical touching. Use phones and radios for communicating even when in the same area. 6. Cancel or postpone any large meetings. Limit meetings to no more than 25 people. These include all Team Member/Town Hall Meetings, Sales conferences, etc. Encourage teleconferences/webinars even if attendees are in the facility. 7. Close break rooms and cafeterias and have employees bring lunches from home and eat at workstation if possible. If not possible, rotate lunches to reduce the number of employees in the break room/cafeteria at one time. 8. Implement a “work-from-home” policy for those positions that can be conducted remotely. Use a conferencing software to keep employees engaged and productive. 9. Review sick leave and attendance policies. Inform employees to not to come to work if they experience any symptoms or if someone in their household has experienced one or more of the symptoms. 10. Initiate a ban on travel to all high-risk areas. Restrict all non-essential travel to other areas. 11. Request employees to voluntarily inform you of personal travel. Any employee traveling to a high-risk area or highly populated area (Disney World, cruises, spring break locations) consider a 14-day leave for employees affected. 12. Restrict non-essential visitors and cancel tours. Have essential visitors complete a self-assessment questionnaire. 13. Relocate interview/recruiting efforts to off-site. Explain the “no-handshake” policy to recruits so that they understand your policy. Have candidates complete visitor self-assessment prior to interview. 14. Prepare an isolation room that is equipped for employees exhibiting symptoms until they can get to a healthcare provider. 15. Ensure you have proper PPE, gloves, masks, safety glasses for first responders who may have contact with affected employees. 16. Share your procedures with your supply chain, review their policies and procedures and ensure vendors have a business continuity plan.
If you have someone in your facility that tests positive (diagnosis should remain private): 1. Isolate individual immediately. 2. Work with health officials to identify people who may have been in contact with the individual and determine necessary health screening, containment/quarantine of potentially affected individuals. 3. Complete a deep sanitation of affected employee’s work area before any other employees work in the area. 4. Require a doctor’s note for return to work.
Keeping employees healthy is not only the right thing to do but also makes good business sense. Absenteeism can rise to 15% – 30% due to sickness, quarantines, family care responsibilities or just plain fear. Managing through will require constant communications and discipline towards your policies. We can manage through this together. Please share other best practices that you are implementing. Stay vigilant and stay healthy. |
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Sincerely,
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by Amy Daniels
By Bass Berry and Sims on March 19, 2020
