CLA COVID-19 Update: Loans and FAQs – April 3, 2020
Brian Wallace, President/CEO of the Coin Laundry Association, brings some of the latest information regarding the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and how it affects the vended laundry industry in this week’s update. We know that this is not business-as-usual nor is it easy in our business and our personal lives. We all may find it helpful to acknowledge that this is not easy for anyone at this time, and we may take solace in leaning on our fellow industry members, our family, and our friends for help during this time. You may feel isolated as we are all practicing social distancing, but know that you are not alone in how you are feeling and what you are experiencing.
This below graphic reflects the current states who have deemed Laundromats as being essential services as of Friday, April 3 ,2020.
Webinar
The CLA held a webinar with panel of laundry professionals on Thursday, April 2. Anyone who has registered will have received an email with the video replay. However, if you did not have a chance to register, you can click to access.
CARES Act
Brian discusses an overview in the video of the basics of the CARES Act, specifically the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Ecomomic Injury Disaster Loan Program being administered via the Small Business Association (SBA). The CLA is currently working on procuring a speaker regarding these programs to present in a near-future webinar. We encourage you to refer to your own accountant and/or legal counsel before making decisions regarding these loan programs. This overview is not intended as legal or business advice. We’ve included the application for the PPP below which has incentives to keep your workforce intact through this period. Also, The Economic Injury Disaster Loan program is an existing program, normally relegated to areas hit by natural disasters, which has been expanded to help businesses during the COVID-19 outbreak.
“Best Practices” Webinar Follow up and COVID related FAQ’s
Brian also mentions some of the questions posed during the webinar and in conversations on the phone and in the online forum and Facebook Group. In an answer to a question about procedures for safe washing operations, the Coin Laundry Association is providing some signs to hang for “Wash-Dry-Go” in English and in Spanish.
Resources
The latest downloadable resources for Laundries managing COVID-19: