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COVID-19 Resources & Impacts for Businesses

COVID-19 Resources
As the regional chamber of commerce, the Buffalo Niagara Partnership is committed to providing employers with the latest information and resources to help you deal with COVID-19 and its impact on business, our community, state and nation.
7.13 re-entry square

Business Bulletins | Webisodes | Vaccine and Testing | Government, Legal & Finance | Business Assistance | Human Resources | Business Best Practices | Questions?

  • 3/21/22: State Reverses Course on HERO Act 
  • 2/10/22: BNP Gets Answers on Masking and HERO Act
  • 2/9/22: Hochul Ends Mask Mandate; Poloncarz Will Follow Suit 
  • 1/28/22: Hochul Extends Mask Mandate
  • 1/13/22: SCOTUS Blocks Vax-or-Test Rule 
  • 1/7/22: The Latest on Vax Mandates – OSHA Rule to be Enforced Monday
  • 12/21/21: What’s the Latest on Biden’s Vax/Test Mandate?
  • 12/13/21: Statewide Mask Mandate Now in Effect
  • 12/10/21: Hochul Imposes Statewide Mask Mandate
  • 11/24/21: Biden to Mandate Vaccine for Nonresident Essential Border Crossers
  • 11/23/21: Erie DOH Releases Details on New Mask Mandates
  • 11/22/21: Poloncarz Reinstates Indoor Mask Mandate
  • 11/18/21: OSHA’s Vax/Test Mandate Paused Amid Legal Limbo
  • 11/4/21: OSHA Releases “Vax or Test” Rule: What You Need to Know
  • 9/9/21: Biden to Mandate “Vax or Test” Requirement for Large Employers
  • 8/2/21: Cuomo Makes Recommendations on Vaccination Efforts
  • 07/30/21: Poloncarz Updates BNP Members on Delta Variant

For a complete archive of past bulletins visit our blog

9/24/21: Navigating the New Federal Vaccine Mandate for Employers
7/30/21: Poloncarz Updates BNP Members on Delta Variant
7/13/21: The Successful Employee Re-Entry Plan

Preparing Your Business for COVID-19 Vaccines – Special 3-Part Series:

04/16/21: #1 Considerations for HR, Operations & Sr. Leaders
04/23/21: #2 Creating a Vaccine Policy & Plan 
04/30/21: #3 Communicating with Customers & Employees

03/04/21: Understanding the Employee Retention Tax Credit 
01/12/21: Relief Package 2.0 & Employee Vaccinations
11/17/20: New Guidelines for Out-of-State Travelers
08/26/20: School’s Back (Mostly): What Employers Need to Know About Paid Leave
08/20/20: Borrower Beware: Defending PPP Loans from After-the-Fact Gov’t Scrutiny
07/23/20: Contact Tracing – What Employers Need to Know
06/25/20: A Reentry Plan for Today; A Strategy for the Office of Tomorrow
06/11/20: Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act – Updates to the PPP
06/04/20: Manufacturing Council Hosts: Navigating lending, tax law changes and the future of PPP
05/28/20: Manufacturing Council Hosts: Employer Liability Protection
05/20/20: NYS Reopening Guidelines: HR & Legal Implications
05/07/20: Manufacturing Council Meeting: Safety & Operational Protocols
05/16/20: WNY Impact Survey Results
05/01/20: NYS Shared Work Program – Retain Employees During a Slowdown
04/10/20: SBA Loan Facts – EIDL and the Paycheck Protection Program
03/20/20: Covid-19 Latest Updates for Employers from Phillips Lytle
03/25/20: New Paid Leave Policies for COVID-19: Clarity for Employers
03/30/20: COVID-19 Federal Stimulus Details & the Business Impact

Testing
Vaccine Access
Vaccine Education
Vaccine Policy & Plan
Vaccine Communication
CDC & U.S. HHS
Testing

Erie County: Searchable Map of Testing Sites 

ECMC: COVID-19 Vaccine Center 

Niagara County: List of Testing Centers

New York State: COVID-19 Testing

New York State: DOH COVID-19 Tracker (persons tested positive by county)

New York State: Vaccinate New York Site 

CDC: Testing for COVID-19 Overview

Vaccine Access

New York State: Available State-run COVID-19 Vaccination Sites 

New York State: COVID-19 Vaccine Tracker

New York State: Sign up for COVID-19 and Vaccine Updates 

New York State: COVID-19 Booster Shot Eligibility 

Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield: COVID-19 Vaccine FAQ

Independent Health: COVID-19 Coronavirus Update

Univera Healthcare: COVID-19 Vaccine Coverage

New York State: COVID-19 Vaccine Eligibility Screening Tool

Vaccine Education

CDC: What to Expect When You’re Vaccinated

CDC: Benefits of Getting a COVID-19 Vaccine

Health Action Alliance: COVID-19 Vaccine FAQ

John Hopkins Medicine: Is the COVID-19 Vaccine Safe?

John Hopkins Medicine: COVID-19 Vaccines – Myth Versus Fact

FEMA: Coronavirus Rumor Control

Journal of the American Medical Association: Herd Immunity, Explained

Vaccine Policy & Plan

Biden Administration: OSHA Vaccine Mandate for Employers 100+

New York State: Updated Paid Leave for COVID-19 Vaccination FAQ – 10/21/22

Biden Administration: COVID-19 Action Plan – 9/9/21

SHRM: Developing a Vaccination Strategy

Health Action Alliance: Establishing a COVID-19 Vaccination Policy and Plan

National Safety Council: Elements of a Workplace Strategy

US Chamber of Commerce: Vaccine Considerations for Employers

For more information, please review online resources from the Health Action Alliance and the US Chamber of Commerce.

Vaccine Communication

Buffalo Niagara Partnership: It’s Our Job – Get Vaccinated Printable Poster

US Chamber of Commerce: The Best Ways for Employers to Promote COVID-19 Vaccines

Health Action Alliance: Communicating about COVID-19 Vaccines

Institute for Public Relations: A Communicator’s Guide to COVID-19 Vaccination 

Health Action Alliance: Responding to Sensitive Issues and Questions 

Health Action Alliance: COVID-19 Vaccine Social Media Toolkit

Buffalo Niagara Partnership: Sample Buffalo Niagara CEO Letter to Employees

Health Action Alliance: Sample CEO Email to Employees

For more information, please review online resources from the Health Action Alliance and the US Chamber of Commerce. 

CDC & U.S. HHS

CDC: Coronavirus Resource Page

CDC: COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout Recommendations 

US HHS: Pandemic Guidance

US HHS: What You Need to Know – COVID-19 Vaccines

CDC: Interim Guidance for Businesses and Employers to Plan and Respond to Coronavirus

Reopening NY
Travel
Essential Businesses
Employee Retention Tax Credit
Tax Extensions & Abatements
Reopening NY

New York State: 5/19/21 Interim Public Health Recommendations for Fully Vaccinated People 

New York State: Regional Monitoring Dashboard

New York State: Micro-Cluster Strategy

New York State: Business Reopening Lookup Tool

New York State:  Industries Reopening by Phase with Detailed Guidance

New York State: Business Reopening Safety Plan Template

Empire State Development: Reopening FAQs

Empire State Development: Guidance for New York State Businesses Related to COVID-19

U.S. Chamber of Commerce: Reopening Business: Digital Resource Center

U.S. Chamber of Commerce: Small Business Reopening Playbook

New York State: Reopening Guide

Travel

3/16/21: New York State COVID-19 Travel Advisory  

Essential Businesses

Empire State Development: List of Essential Businesses and How to Request Waiver

Emire State Development: Guidance on Executive Order

Empire State Development: FAQs

Employee Retention Tax Credit

4/1/20 U.S. Chamber of Commerce: Guide to Employee Retention Tax Credit

Internal Revenue Service: Employee Retention Tax Credit

Internal Revenue Service: Employee Retention Tax Credit FAQs

Tax Extensions & Abatements

Internal Revenue Service: Federal Income Tax Filing Due Date Extended to July 15, 2020

NYS Department of Taxation and Finance: Abatement of Penalties and Interest for Sales and Use Tax

NYS Department of Taxation and Finance: Tax Relief for Quarterly and Annual Filers Sales Tax Vendors Affected by COVID-19

Erie County Industrial Development Agency: Sales Tax Abatement Information

Erie County Industrial Development Agency: Sales Tax Abatement Term Sheet

Paycheck Protection Program
Economic Injury Disaster Loans
Express Bridge Loans
Additional Loan Programs
Debt Relief
LISC Relief Grants
NYS Business Assistance
NYS Lease Assistance
Erie County Assistance
Reopen Buffalo
Small Business Guides
Paycheck Protection Program

1/25/21 Small Business Administration: New PPP Interim Guidance 

1/11/21 Small Business Administration: Second Round of PPP Loans 

1/10/21 Small Business Administration: 2021 PPP Amendments 

1/8/21 Small Business Administration: PPP Borrower Application

12/22/20 U.S. Chamber of Commerce: COVID-19 Emergency Loans Guide

6/19/20 Small Business Administration: Updated PPP Transparency 

6/16/20 Small Business Administration: Revised Loan Forgiveness Application

6/16/20 U.S. Chamber of Commerce Updated Guide to PPP Loan Forgiveness

 

Economic Injury Disaster Loans

4/3 /20 SBA: Overview and Eligibility

4/3/20 SBA: Application

4/1/20 U.S. Chamber of Commerce: Guide to SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loans

3/18/20 Partnership Blog: SBA Disaster Loans and How to Apply: COVID-19

Express Bridge Loans

4/3/20 SBA: Overview

4/3/20 SBA: Program Guide

Additional Loan Programs

3/16/21: New York State Comptroller Pursuit Lending

5/26/20: New York Forward Loan Fund 

 

Debt Relief

3/16/21 SBA: Debt Relief Overview

LISC Relief Grants

4/23/20: Second Round of LISC Small Business Relief Grants

NYS Business Assistance

NYS Empire State Development: Small Business Recovery Grant Program

NYS Empire State Development: Business Pandemic Recovery Initiative 

NYS Lease Assistance

NYS: Small Business Lease Assistance Partnership

Erie County Assistance

4/28/20: Erie County IDA Economic Relief Programs

8/17/20: Erie County Disaster Relief PPE Grant

 

Reopen Buffalo

City of Buffalo – Reopen Buffalo Website

Small Business Guides

U.S. Chamber of Commerce: Resources to Help Small Business

Employee Health Screening
Paid Leave - Federal
Paid Leave - State
Health Insurance Coverage
Unemployment Insurance
Health & Wellness
Shared Work Program
Remote Team Management
Employee Health Screening

 

 U.S. Chamber of Commerce: Rally for Recovery Commitment Toolkit

U.S. Chamber of Commerce: Workforce Tips for Employers

5/21/20 Employer Services Corporation: COVID-19 Employee Daily Health-Screening Form

5/21/20 Employer Services Corporation: COVID-19 Employee Health-Screening Questionnaire 

5/21/20 Employer Services Corporation: Job Refusal Checklist Form

Paid Leave - Federal

U.S. Chamber of Commerce: Coronavirus Paid Leave Programs: Employer Guide

U.S. Department of Labor Website 

Paid Leave - State

3/27/20 NYS: Emergency COVID-19 Paid Sick Leave and FAQs

3/18/20 Partnership Blog: NYS Paid Sick Leave: COVID-19 Update

COVID-19 Impacted New Yorkers: Paid Sick Leave Resource

Health Insurance Coverage

Univera Healthcare Updates on COVID-19 

Blue Cross Blue Shield COVID-19 Updates

Independent Health COVID-19 Updates

4/24/20 U.S. Chamber of Commerce: Health Coverage Options

Unemployment Insurance

NYS DOL: Unemployment Insurance Assistance Website

4/2/20 NYS DOL: Unemployment Insurance Benefits Updated FAQ’s

4/24/20 U.S. Chamber of Commerce:  Unemployment Insurance

Health & Wellness

4/15 Child & Family Services: EAP Program

4/15 City of Buffalo: EAP Program

4/15 United Way: Work/Life Solutions

4/15 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Cleaning and Disinfecting your Facility

4/15 NYS Department of Environmental Conservation: Products Registered in NY for Use Against COVID-19

Shared Work Program

BNP Webisode: NYS Shared Work Program – Retain Employees During a Slowdown

NYS Department of Labor: Shared Work Program

NYS Department of Labor: FAQs

Remote Team Management

Museum Hack: Virtual Team Building Activities for Remote Teams

Mower: Five Communications and Operational Tips for Companies to Prepare for the Coronavirus

Facebook Businesses Resource Hub: Managing Through and Building Resilience during the COVID-19 Outbreak

Monday.com: Managing a Remote Team

Communications
Crisis Management & Planning
Business Continuity & Recovery Planning
Sourced Products/Services
Communications

International Association of Business Communicators: COVID-19 Resources & Template Communications

The Communications Network: COVID-19 Crisis Communications Triage Kit

Crisis Management & Planning

Goldberg Segalla on Media Coverage: GS Responding to Media Inquiries COVID-19

Business Continuity & Recovery Planning

Small Business Development Center

U.S. Chamber of Commerce: Resilience in a Box

Harvard Business Review: Company Emergency Remote-Work Plan

Harvard Business School: How the Coronavirus will Change the Future of Business 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: COVID-19 Print Resources

U.S. Chamber of Commerce: Coronavirus Small Business Guide

Sourced Products/Services

The Buffalo Niagara Partnership will continually provide contact information for companies offering high-demand products in response to COVID-19.

Body Temperature Scanners
  • Zorpro  | sales@zorpro.com
  • Exponent Healthcare | andrew.shaevel@bobalew.com
Cleaning Services
  • Jani-King Commercial Cleaning Services | mhodges@janiking.com
  • Purify Global| michael@purifyglobal.com
Personal Protective Equipment
  • Safeguard | Various protective masks, gloves, medical gowns and sanitizers |  slegierski@gosafeguard.com
  • Hickey Freeman Company | Surgical/Non-surgical masks |  john.martynec@hickeyfreeman.com
  • ABC Rental | N-95 Masks | mark@tentandtable.com
  • Displays & Designs, Inc. | Face Shields | francine@displaysanddesigns.com
  • Allstates Medical | Various protective masks | csr@allstatesmed.com
  • Foam Depot | Various PPE | jason@foamdepot.com
  • New Line Processing | Various PPE | cgilewski@newlineprocessing.com
  • Rapid Medical Parts | Face Shields | jim@veritx.com
  • Proforma Infinity | Various PPE | chris.peck@proforma.com
  • Stratodyne, Inc. | Various PPE | crows@stratodyneinc.com
  • Uzo International | Various PPE | uzo1@uzo1.com
Temporary Medical Staffing
  • Trusted Nurse Staffing | mnicolia@trustednursestaffing.com
Staffing
  • Express Employment Professionals | john.Swanson@expresspros.com
  • Remedy Intelligent Staffing | jeffw@remedystaff.com
  • AP Professionals | kcultrara@apbuffalo.com
Safety and Security Services
  • Safetec of America | joseph@safetec.com 
  • Security Solutions of Niagara | ssofniagara@gmail.com
Hand Sanitizer
  • Hartman’s Distilling | info@hartmansdistilling.com
  • Buffalo Distilling Co. | info@bflodistilling.com
  • Niagara Craft Spirits | todd@niagaracraftspirits.com
  • Ellicottville Distillery | bryan@ellicottvilledistillery.com
  • Sponge Outlet |instanterase716@gmail.com
  • Lakeward Spirits | steve@lakewardspirits.com
  • Bootleg Bucha/Buffalo Fermentation | jeff@bootlegbucha.com
Hand Sanitizer Stations
  • FB Displays & Designs, Inc. | williamh@displaysanddesigns.com
Protective/Social Distancing Workplace Equipment
  • Eaton Office Supply | bceaton@eatonofficesupply.com 
  • Midcity Office Furniture | kurt@midcityoffice.com  
  • Prentice Office Environment | jmm@prentice.us 
  • Emedco | Social Distancing Safety Signs: 20% discount to Partnership members with code WB0141
  • Wendel Companies | kburzynski@wendelcompanies.com
  • Ecotech Office Environments | iwoods@eoesolutions.com
  • Kee Safety | info@keesafety.com
  • Southtowns Trophy| info@southtownstrophy.com
  • Laird Plastics | gtortorello@lairdplastics.com
  • Bergmann PC |  jhickey@bergmannpc.com
  • FB Displays and Designs |francine@displaysanddesigns.com
Workplace Signage
  • The Zenger Group | sales@zenger.com
  • Grover Cleveland Press | mike@groverclevelandpress.com
  • Flexlume Signs | curtism@flexlume.com
  • Printed Image | rzavarella@printedimagebuffalo.com
  • The Copy Store | ed@buffalocopy.com
  • Marketing Tech | info@marketingtechonline.com
  • ZOOM Copy | rory@zoomcopy.com
  • FB Displays and Designs | francine@displaysanddesigns.com
Financial Services
  • The Bonadio Group | (877) 917-3077
  •  Freed Maxick | covidresponse@freedmaxick.com
Virtual Workplace Services
  • MVP Network Consulting | Contact Us Form
  • Whiteboard IT | steve@whiteboardits.com
  • PCI | mgaulin@pcibuf.com
Do you have specific questions related to running your business or your business unit?

Visit the BNP Business Link, a question and answer forum for, and by, the Buffalo Niagara business community. Submit your questions and get expert answers on just about any topic from legal, IT, HR, NYS regulations, sales, marketing, communications and more. It is quick, confidential, powerful and convenient. The BNP Business Link can help you today.

Visit the BNP Business Link

From The Blog

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9/24/21 Webisode: Navigating the New Federal Vaccine Mandate for Employers

Watch: Navigating the New Federal Vaccine Mandate for Employers President Joe Biden recently announced a
September 27, 2021
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9.9.21 COVID-19 Bulletin: Biden To Mandate “Vax or Test” Requirement for Large Employers

On 9/24, the BNP and Alcott HR hosted a free webisode: Navigating the New Federal Vaccine Mandate for
September 9, 2021
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8.2.21 COVID-19 Bulletin: Cuomo Makes Recommendations on Vaccination Efforts

Today, Governor Andrew Cuomo made recommendations on efforts to increase vaccination rates, noting rising
August 2, 2021
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