Missed one of our Webinars? Watch it here!

Inova & the South Fairfax Community 

Thank you to Roberta Tinch, MHA, FACHE, President of Inova Mount Vernon Hospital and System Administrator of the Musculoskeletal Service Line for an informational presentation on the many services offered at Inova Mount Vernon Hospital and the Lorton HealthPlex. In this webinar, she shares information on Inova’s preparation and response to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the latest on vaccine distribution. 

Celebrating Winter at the Workhouse

This webinar features upcoming exhibits and events at the Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton.

Distance Learning Town Hall

Distance learning has certainly presented challenges for educators, students, and their families. Business owners and other entrepreneurs have had to work around having their kids at home. The Town Hall covers the latest updates from Fairfax County Public Schools and features a discussion on the challenges faced by working parents and business owners.

Questions about Medicare?

If you are 65 or older or are a younger person with disabilities, you can learn how Medicare might help you cover the costs of your health care. Learn how Medicare works and what it covers in this presentation 'Medicare Made Clear' offered by South Fairfax Chamber of Commerce member Mary Crispino of HealthMarkets.

Navigating PPP Loan Forgiveness

The Small Business Administration has approved more than 2 million loans worth over $175 billion as part of the second round of PPP funding. SBA will forgive loans if all employee retention criteria are met, and the funds are used for eligible expenses. Join Roderick Johnson, Lending Relations/Small Business Development Center Project Officer for the Small Business Administration, Joseph M. English III, CPA, PFS, Burdette Smith & Bish Inc., and Tom Repczynski of Offit Kurman Attorneys at Law and for a discussion of best practices for navigating the loan forgiveness process.

Open for Business in Fairfax

As small businesses begin to reopen, business owners are facing tremendous challenges adjusting to the ‘new normal’, thinking about what comes next and how to adapt and move forward safely and sustainably.

Tom Repczynski of Offit Kurman Attorneys at Law and Immediate Past Chair of the South Fairfax Chamber of Commerce moderates a panel featuring representatives from the Laurel Hill Golf Club, Clearfinity Eyecare and the Lorton Community Action Center. Hear what has worked for them and what they envision to make the second half of 2020 a successful one for local business.

Social Media....The New Norm?

Not familiar with Facebook, Twitter or other forms of social media? If you don’t have a social media presence for your business, now is as good a time as ever to step up your game. Watch this 30-minute presentation to help get you started.

The Importance of Networking Virtually

A discussion on why networking virtually during this time when most are staying at home is still important to your business.

Are You Ready To Be Back In Business?

It's one thing to reopen, but what will businesses have to do to get their customers back? There’s been a lot of talk about the psychology of living through a pandemic. What changes will you need to make in your business to bring customers back? Will you need to remodel a bit so customers feel comfortable visiting in person? What changes need to be made to meet new cleanliness expectations? Will customers standing in line feel comfortable?

Rebuild VA Grant Fund Expands Eligibility Criteria

By Carla Olivo

SFCC Asst. Executive Director

Great news for Virginia small businesses and nonprofit organizations whose normal operations were disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Rebuild VA Grant Fund has expanded its eligibility criteria to allow more small businesses and nonprofits to apply. Any small business or nonprofit with $10,000,000 or less in gross revenue OR 250 or fewer employees may now apply. An additional $30 million has been dedicated to the grant fund with and the maximum grant award increasing from $10,000 to $100,000.

Rebuild VA is an economic recovery fund started last summer offering grants of up to $10,000 to qualified applicants to cover eligible expenses. Rebuild VA is administered by the Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity (SBSD).

Interested in applying?

Reminders

·      Read all the information available here and consult the application guide carefully before starting the application.

·      Download the Virginia substitute form W-9; complete and upload it with your other documents

• must be filled out completely
• must match the information on the application
• must be signed
• the W-9 must include a DUNS Number
• consult the W-9 example to complete your W-9

·      Electronically format all supporting documents, and be ready to upload them before starting your application

·      Applicants can check application status by logging into their application account

·      Applications that are missing documents may take longer than 21 business days to review

Please review the Required Document Checklist before submitting your application.

Some eligible expenses include:

·      Employee salaries and payroll support, including paid sick, medical, or family leave, and costs related to the continuation of group health care benefits during those periods of leave;

·      Principal and interest payments for certain business loans;

·      Mortgage payments, rent, and utilities

A variety of Virginia small businesses from retail stores to eateries and nonprofit organizations that meet size and other eligibility requirements can apply. Those who previously received a Rebuild VA grant can be eligible to receive a second award if all updated eligibility requirements are met.

New Workplace Safety Guidelines Take Effect in Virginia

By Carla Olivo

SFCC Asst. Executive Director

Virginia becomes the first state in the nation to adopt new workplace safety standards   protecting employees during the pandemic. The Virginia Safety and Health Codes Board has approved these standards which apply to all businesses and take effect the last week of July 2020.

The adopted workplace standards will be effective for six months or until the State of Emergency ends.

The newly adopted standards require all employers to:

·     Regularly clean high-contact surfaces, bathrooms and shared tools or equipment.

·     Provide easy and frequent access for employees to wash their hands or use hand sanitizer.

·     Mandate social distancing measures and face coverings for employees in customer-facing positions.

·     Mandate face coverings for employees when social distancing is not possible.

·     Assess work spaces for potential hazards that can cause exposure to COVID-19

·     Put in place an Infectious Disease Preparedness and Response Plan for high-risk employees.

·     Notify all employees within 24 hours if a coworker tests positive for the virus.

·     According to the state standards, employees who are known or suspected to be positive for COVID-19 cannot return to work for at least 10 days or until they        receive two consecutive negative test.

Employers are also required to:

·     Provide COVID-19 training of all employees within 30 days (except for low-hazard places of employment)

·     Prepare infectious disease preparedness and response plans within 60 days (except for employers with 10 or less employees)

·     Post or present agency-prepared COVID-19 information to all employees

·     Provide flexible sick leave policies, telework and staggered shifts when feasible

·     Notify the Virginia Department of Health of positive COVID-19 tests

·     Notify VOSH of three or more positive COVID-19 tests within a two-week period

The new regs also require building and facility owners to report positive COVID-19 tests to the employer’s tenants.

There are additional regulations for jobs deemed as medium, high or very high risk. Employers must classify whether jobs are “very high,” “high,” “medium” and “lower” risk based on potential exposure to the virus.

High and very high-risk jobs include health care workers and first responders. Medium risk jobs are workers in settings such as restaurants, grocery and retail stores, correctional facilities, factories and plants.

The new regulations also protect employees who raise reasonable concerns about infection control to print, online, social or other media. 

The maximum penalty for violating the rules is set at $13,000, but “willful and repeat” violations could result in fines up to $130,000.