New Lodging and Travel Guidance to Be Smart, Stay Safe Order

Vermont Business Magazine There was one new case of COVID-19 reported by the Vermont Department of Health today for 934 total statewide. There were no new deaths, which held at 53. Governor Phil Scott on Friday announced new guidance for the reopening of lodging establishments and cross-border travel. Lodging operations, short-term rentals, campgrounds, and marinas may accept overnight reservations for stays after May 22, 2020 from Vermont residents or those who have met the 14-day quarantine requirement. Governor Phil Scott on Friday announced new guidance for the reopening of lodging establishments and cross-border travel. Lodging operations, short-term rentals, campgrounds, and marinas may accept overnight reservations for stays after May 22, 2020 from Vermont residents or those who have met the 14-day quarantine requirement. Details of the lodging and cross-border guidance are available at ACCD’s COVID-19 Recovery Resource Center.

Childcare and Summer Camp Guidance

The Vermont Department of Health, Agency of Education and Department for Children and Families issued new guidance Wednesday surrounding the reopening of childcare programs, summer programs and after school programs.

A new application for stipends to childcare and day camp operators went live today. These stipends are part of the $6 million dollars allocated to childcare in order to assist in reopening by helping defer the cost of COVID-19 related expenses.

Tax Department Updates

The Department of Taxes’ new newsletter contains several updates related to COVID-19, including the revised tax schedule, scams to watch out for, information on the taxability of personal protective equipment (PPE), clarification on the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), and more.

Restart Webinar for Restaurants

SCORE Vermont will present "Restarting Your Restaurant Post-COVID" on Tuesday, May 19th, 2020 at 11:00am. This free webinar will focus on the considerations needed to reopen a food and beverage business, including:

• How to prepare and find the resources to become compliant with new sanitation and safety protocols that will affect both costs and revenues;
• Determining realistic seating capacities while recalculating revenue projections utilizing a menu engineering approach; and
• A financial model to determine future breakeven sales level and customer counts.

VMEC Forum on Restarting Operations

On Wednesday, May 20th, 2020 at 1:30pm, Vermont Manufacturing Extension Center will host a live forum with safety, HR, and legal experts for businesses in various phases of reopening. Panelists will provide valuable tips and knowledge to ensure businesses are meeting COVID-19 operating requirements and using current best practices.

Survey for Retailers on COVID Impacts

The Vermont Retail & Grocers Association asks all retail business owners throughout the state to fill out a brief survey. The results will be used to assess the current impact of COVID-19 on Vermont businesses and to inform public policy in the state.

Business Impact

ACCD wants to hear from all Vermont businesses impacted by the response to the COVID-19 virus. Please share these impacts via the ACCD Business Impact Form, which will help us assess the full impact as we work toward solutions.