News from APCA
CISA Guidance on the Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce: Ensuring Community and National Resilience in COVID-19
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) released the Version 2.0 (attached) of its Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce advisory liston March 28 to help state/local entities protect their communities while ensuring continuity of functions critical to public health and safety as well as economic and national security. APCA submitted comments on a previous version of this guidance last week. CISA noted that the list should not be considered a federal directive or standard but is intended to be the exclusive list of critical infrastructure sectors, workers, and functions. It “identifies workers involved in the construction and services that are typically essential to the viability of maintaining and repairing critical infrastructure, including preforming the construction who support crucial supply chains and enable functions for critical infrastructure.”
Trump Signs CARES Act to Rally Nation from Virus Outbreak
Today [March 27], President Trump signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), the $2 trillion stimulus package that is the third phase of the federal government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Importantly for APCA members, the bill authorizes emergency loans to distressed businesses.
With respect to small businesses, the CARES Act
* Establishes, and provides funding for, forgivable bridge loans; and
* Provides additional funding for grants and technical assistance.
The Act also provides funding for $1,200 tax rebates to individuals, with additional $500 payments per qualifying child. The rebate begins phasing out when incomes exceed $75,000 (or $150,000 for joint filers).
The CARES Act, through the Paycheck Protection Program, allocates almost $350 billion to support emergency loans to qualifying businesses.
Below is guidance on the Paycheck Protection Program from the Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship. You can learn more on the Small Business Administration website: https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/loans/paycheck-protection-program.
Paycheck Protection Program FAQs for Small Businesses
U.S. Department Of Labor Publishes Guidance Explaining Paid Sick Leave And Expanded Family and Medical Leave Under The Families First Coronavirus Response Act
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) announced its first round of published guidance to provide information to employees and employers about how each will be able to take advantage of the protections and relief offered by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) when it takes effect on April 1, 2020.
Read the detailed announcement
Memorandum on Identification of Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers During Covid-19 Response
As the Nation comes together to slow the spread of COVID-19, on March 16th, the President issued updated Coronavirus Guidance for America. This guidance states that:
If you work in a critical infrastructure industry, as defined by the Department of Homeland Security, such as healthcare services and pharmaceutical and food supply, you have a special responsibility to maintain your normal work schedule.
Read the entire memorandum
Message You Can Share
It’s important to show your workers that you care about their health and safety at work and at home during times of uncertainty. Talk to your workers and ask them what they need to stay safe. Involve workers in decision-making to determine the best way to stay safe while maintaining continuity of operations.
U.S. Department of the Treasury, IRS and the U.S. Department of Labor Announce Plan to Implement Coronavirus-Related Paid Leave for Workers and Tax Credits for Small and Midsize Businesses to Swiftly Recover the Cost of Providing Coronavirus-Related Leave
March 20, 2020 - WASHINGTON, DC – Today the U.S. Treasury Department, Internal Revenue Service and the U.S. Department of Labor announced that small and midsize employers can begin taking advantage of two new refundable payroll tax credits, designed to immediately and fully reimburse them, dollar-for-dollar, for the cost of providing Coronavirus-related leave to their employees. This relief to employees and small and midsize businesses is provided under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, signed by President Trump on March 18, 2020.
Read the detailed announcement
APCA General Manager Tim Wagner on COVID-19
I have been struggling with writing our own COVID-19 dissertation in light of the fact that you have likely received emails on the Corona Virus from every conceivable source including schools, restaurants, accountants, lawyers, airlines, hotels, and trade associations. They all say pretty much the same thing—wash your hands, keep your distance, etc. We have nothing to add to keep you safe as we’ve all been reading and watching the same things.
APCA Cancels Convention in the Bahamas
The APCA Board of Directors has been closely monitoring the coronavirus and has decided that the best course of action for the association and the safety of its members is to cancel the APCA Annual Convention scheduled for March 27-April 1 in the Bahamas. All room reservations at the Grand Hyatt will be cancelled.
APCA will contact all convention registrants via email to explain the next steps.
2019 OSHA Form 300A Deadline
OSHA is reminding employers to submit their 2019 OSHA Form 300A (Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses) by March 2, 2020.
Who is required to submit Form 300A?
- Establishments with 250 or more employees that are required to keep OSHA injury and illness records, and
- Establishments with 20 to 249 employees in certain industries. For the list of designated industries, visit https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1904/1904.41AppA.
How to submit Form 300A: Submit injury and illness data electronically at www.osha.gov/injuryreporting.
OSHA Revises National Emphasis Program to Reduce or Eliminate Worker Exposure to Silica
WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has established a revised National Emphasis Program (NEP) to identify and reduce or eliminate worker exposures to respirable crystalline silica (RCS) in general industry, maritime, and construction.
OSHA will conduct 90 days of compliance assistance for stakeholders prior to beginning programmed inspections for the NEP.
The NEP targets specific industries expected to have the highest numbers of workers exposed to silica and focuses on enforcement of the new silica standards, one for general industry and maritime (29 CFR § 1910.1053) and one for construction (29 CFR § 1926.1153). These standards became effective in June 2016, and construction employers were required to begin complying with their standard as of September 23, 2017. General industry and maritime employers were required to begin complying with their standard as of June 23, 2018.
50 Years of OSHA
U.S. Department of Labor Launches New Webpage to Observe 50th Anniversary of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970.
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has launched a new webpage marking the 50th anniversary of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, the landmark worker safety and health law that led to the creation of OSHA.
OSHA Quicktakes
Employers who electronically submit OSHA Form 300A must provide an Employer Identification Number as of Jan. 2, 2020.
Working Safely in Cold Weather - During the winter season, OSHA's winter weather webpage offers tips for staying safe while working outdoors.
Page 5 of 11
