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The Office of Mayor Jacob Frey is hosting an open call for our business community on Friday, April 24. We will provide updates about current strategies to support businesses and answer your questions live. You can also submit your questions in advance online.
Register for the Friday Open Call for our Business/Employer Community. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
The application period for the City of Minneapolis’ Forgivable No-Interest Loans for Small Business program closed at noon on Monday, April 20. We received over 1,200 applications.
Since there are more applications than funds available, the City will use a random, anonymized lottery process to select which applicants will receive the loan. Our goal is to have a level playing field for all eligible applicants that submitted an application on time. City staff are now in the process of reviewing applications to verify their eligibility for the program (e.g. business location, size, etc.).
We will be completing our review as quickly and accurately as possible. We know that the need of our applicants is time-sensitive. Given the amount of applications we have to review, we hope to begin sending notifications as soon as we can in the next two weeks. All applicants will be notified by email once decisions have been made.
On Friday, April 17, 2020, Governor Walz signed Bill SF 4489 authorizing restaurants closed for dine-in service by executive order to sell limited off-sale.
Minneapolis restaurants with an on-sale beer, wine, or liquor license may now offer take-out beer and wine in limited quantities without any additionally license from the City. Restaurants may offer the equivalent of a six-pack of beer or a bottle of wine as part of a takeout food order. Liquor and mixed drinks are excluded.
The restaurant must also follow these requirements:
- Beer and wine sales are incidental to, not instead of, food sales.
- Takeout only, delivery is not allowed.
- Verification that the purchaser is of legal drinking age and that there are no restrictions on the purchase of alcohol identified on the purchaser’s state-issued identification.
- Liquor liability insurance must be updated to reflect that alcohol is sold for off-sale consumption.
- Restaurant must be certified and in good standing with Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement Division.
This temporary legislation expires once emergency closure orders 20-04, 20-18, and 20-33 expire or are otherwise repealed. Guidelines on food and public safety, including best practices on social distancing during food pickup, are available from the Minnesota Department of Health: Food Safety for Food Delivery and Pickup.
For questions about Beer and Wine To-Go, email businesslicenses@minneapolismn.gov or call 612-673-2080
Stay up to date on available resources; see below for a summary of relief programs.
The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), which took effect April 1, 2020, includes Paid Sick Leave and Expanded Family Leave for all private employers with fewer than 500 employees. Employees are eligible for up to two weeks (or 10 days) of paid sick leave, subject to an 80-hour cap for full-time employees.
- This leave will be reimbursed in full through an immediate offset against payroll taxes.
- This paid sick leave is in addition to any accrued sick leave under Minneapolis’ Sick & Safe Time ordinance and employees can use this federal emergency paid sick leave before using accrued sick and safe time.
Click here for fact sheets and questions & answers from the U.S. Department of Labor
Click here for further information from the NFIB
The City of Minneapolis has expanded Business Technical Assistance Program services to make sure that you have an expert to talk to about your specific situation. You can also contact the City’s Small Business Team at 612-673-2499 or smallbusiness@minneapolismn.gov.
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