April 21, 2020 - Office Activity Update
Lt. Governor McKee today hosted another small business conference call to help small business owners get answers to their questions and to allow them to share their feedback on changes to the local economy.
Lt. Governor McKee provided opening remarks and introduced Mary Hayward, District Director of the Rhode Island Small Business Administration (SBA) office. Hayward reported the issuance of 142 Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) in Rhode Island for a total disbursement of $22 million. In reference to the Payroll Protection Program (PPP) loans, Hayward emphasized that the level of payroll for a business must stay the same once employees are hired back.
Lt. Governor McKee introduced Deputy Director of the Department of Business Regulation (DBR) Julietta Georgakis who reported that DBR inspectors are out checking for business compliance with the requirement to wear face coverings. Compliance rates among employers, employees, and customers is generally high.
The Lt. Governor welcomed Matthew Weldon, Assistant Director of the Department of Labor and Training to the call. Director Weldon reported that 173,000 unemployment insurance (UI) claims have been filed by Rhode Islanders to date. There is a new certification process in place with unlimited capacity.
Lt. Governor McKee introduced Justin Gontarek of Oceanside Graphics to discuss the "Gift it Forward" initiative. The website has had 95,000 visits to date and more than 1,000 businesses are now registered.
The following state representatives were introduced to provide a small business update:
- Representative Terri Cortvriend, member of the House Committee on Small Business: Received a PPP loan for her small business through Bank Newport. She also emphasized the importance of working with her constituents on small business issues.
-Representative Carlos Tobon: Urged callers to support their local business by shopping local as often as possible.
- Representative Robert Philips: Highlighted his work helping small businesses in his district obtain the resources and information they need.
The Lt. Governor introduced his small business panel: Jen Ortiz of Executive Cuts, Tim McCann of McT's Tavern, and Ann Lyons of Ocean State Gymnastics. All panelists reported on their experience with accessing the PPP loans and EIDL.
The Lt. Governor provided closing remarks and urged Rhode Islanders to stay safe and healthy by following social distancing practices.