COVID-19 Update 7/30/2020

U.S. Senate Releases Proposed Pandemic Relief Package

On July 27th, Senate Republicans announced the HEALS Act (Health, Economic Assistance Liability Protection & Schools Act), a $1 trillion stimulus package proposal as a follow up to the CARES Act and a response to the HEROES Act, which House Democrats passed as a $3 trillion stimulus plan.

Here are some highlights (although there are many more provisions):

• The proposal includes $1,200 ($2,400 for married filing jointly) stimulus checks nearly identical to the direct payments authorized by the CARES Act earlier this year. The one key change is that taxpayers with dependents of any age will qualify for the additional $500 per dependent rebate.
• Enhanced unemployment benefits would be extended under the proposal, although in a smaller amount. The proposal provides a flat $200 in federal unemployment benefits through September 2020. In October a new system would be put into place aiming to replace 70% of a recipient’s prior income when combined with state assistance.
• The proposal extends the Paycheck Protection Program and makes other changes, with a focus on small businesses.
• The proposal provides liability protection for individuals, businesses and healthcare providers that would limit lawsuits brought against them for exposure to Covid-19.

Until a final decision is reached and signed into law, expect rounds of bipartisan negotiations to alter some of the terms. Lawmakers have until August 7th, the last day before another month-long recess, to decide.

Part of the proposal includes changes to the PPP program and possible automatic forgiveness of loan amounts of $150,000 or less. The SBA and Treasury will likely continue to hold-off on releasing Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) clarifying PPP loan forgiveness items until after the second round of stimulus is passed and signed into law.

Stay tuned – we will update you as information becomes available.

Talkin’ Shop:  Navigating the Mask Mandate

In response to member calls asking for advice on how to enforce the mask mandate in their shops, we’ve scheduled two Zoom calls next week.  The calls will provide a chance to pick the brains of other shop owners to learn how best to manage situations that come up with both employees and customers when it comes to mask wearing.  Time permitting, we can also talk about how Governor Walz’s decision on schools might impact the auto service & collision repair industry in the coming months.

Collision members, attend the BS Session on August 4th, from 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Mechanical members, attend the Mech XChange on August 6th, from 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Free Webinar

With COVID-19 restrictions in place, most of us are conducting even more of our business and personal transactions online.  Unfortunately, fraud and scams have ramped up as well. 

To help you understand what your shop needs to do to stay ahead of the cyber curve, AASP is offering a free “Cybersecurity in the Shop” webinar on August 5th at 12:30 p.m. CST.  Join us!

Member Survey

A majority of members are recovering from a volume decline during COVID-19 coronavirus-related shutdowns and precautions and the Alliance would like your input on how we can be of help to you.  We want to focus our resources on the programming and services you need and value the most.

This survey will help us plan for the services and support we can provide in the coming months and into 2021.  It will take you less than 5 minutes to complete. Click here to begin survey now.

Share Your Alliance Story

AASP-MN wants to share stories from its members that show the value of association membership. We want to hear from you – what are some of the ways your membership has brought value to you and your business? Is there a short story that illustrates how something you gained through membership made a difference?
 
We are looking to collect these stories with short videos, then edit them together so we can share them.
 
Here is a good example of a video that Carl Thomas with Lancer Service recorded.

1. Grab your phone and record a short video, ideally about 30 seconds in length.
      A few quick tips: 

• Record the video horizontally not vertically.
• Don’t have the sun or bright lights behind you. Try to have the lighting in front of you.
• Be aware of background noise – you don’t want it to end up as part of the soundtrack.

2. Upload your video to our folder on Google Drive.
3. Please submit your videos no later than August 1st.
 
Thanks for your help – we can’t wait to see and hear what you have to say!

Note: This content and analysis is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice. Please consult your legal and financial advisors for detailed information before taking any action.