Coronavirus Update: Resources for Food Service Workers

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House Speaker Tina Kotek

Coronavirus Update: Resources for Food Service Workers

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

I want to take a moment today to acknowledge the food service workers of Oregon. We miss seeing you at our local restaurants or bars, and we’re thinking about you.

All Oregonians are coming to terms with the lifestyle changes and financial impacts caused by the coronavirus pandemic, but food service, entertainment and other hospitality services have been hit especially hard by layoffs. Over the last week, the Oregon Employment Department received record-breaking job loss claims, and 36 percent of those claims came from the leisure and hospitality sector.

In addition to unemployment benefits, there are some other relief resources available for tipped workers and service industry workers. These may be available to laid off workers even if they do not qualify for unemployment due to length of employment or immigration status.

What else can you do? If you have the means, consider supporting local restaurants that are still open and doing take-out orders. For Portland residents, click here for one site to help you get more information.

As another reminder, all information from the Oregon Employment Department on filing for unemployment insurance is available here.

OED Flow Chart

The Latest News

  • Governor Brown issued an executive order today to clarify that a previous executive order banning on-site food and drink consumption is in effect as long as her Stay Home, Save Lives order is in place. The previous order was originally set to expire on Tuesday, April 14, while the Stay Home order is in effect until the Governor chooses to lift it.
  • Governor Brown convened the first meeting of her COVID-19 Medical Advisory Panel. This is a group of doctors, infectious disease experts, and health professionals from across the state who will make recommendations to the Governor on future response efforts. The panel will meet twice per week and develop strategies to address pressing needs, identify potential gaps and challenges, and give feedback from the front lines of Oregon's health care response to coronavirus.
  • The Oregon Health Authority announced 49 new diagnosed cases of coronavirus, bringing the statewide total to 1,181. Sadly, four more individuals have passed away and 33 Oregonians have died from the virus overall. The silver lining in this new data is that the number of cases is not rising steeply, another reminder that the Stay Home, Save Lives effort is working. For those wondering about when the executive order will be lifted, public health officials have made it clear we need to see a steady two-week decrease in case counts before the order can be reevaluated.
OHA COVID-19 Update 4-7-2020

New Data Available

Starting today, the Oregon Health Authority is now posting a weekly report on coronavirus risk factors, clinical and demographic characteristics, and data on cases with pending investigations. Some of the data is below, and the first weekly report can be found here.

New OHA Data-1 4-7-2020

OHA Racial and Ethnic Data

Stay Home, Save Lives - Even In Nice Weather

The weather forecast for the next several days shows that we can expect some warm, sunny weather. We all have essential reasons to go outside, like grocery shopping and taking a walk to improve our mental health.

Even as the weather continues to improve, remember that the Stay Home, Save Lives order is working to slow the spread of coronavirus. We must continue our commitment, even in nice weather. The better we do, the sooner we can get through this.

Here are a few tips and reminders about how to stay safe when it’s sunny.

OHA Weather Advisory

Food Pantries

More people are using their last available dollars to pay rent or other fixed expenses, so then buying food goes to the bottom of the list. Consequently, some emergency food pantries are seeing lines that are blocks long (because of increased need and social distancing wait lines).

Oregon is blessed to have an amazing emergency food system, but our pantries and meal sites need more help. The Oregon Food Bank network says it could start running short on food as soon as two weeks from now. Willamette Week has more information in an article here. Kudos to all the local communities that are stepping up to do more, such as the City of Portland/Multnomah County who have expanded access to free meals in the wake of the pandemic, which The Oregonian documented here.

Please know that I am pushing for additional funding for food banks throughout the state when the legislative Emergency Board meets soon, along with other essential priorities for Oregonians in need.


Where’s the Economy Going?

The state Office of Economic Analysis has been analyzing data on the statewide economic consequences of the coronavirus pandemic. While it’s clear the entire nation is heading into a recession, it remains to be seen how severe it will be and how long it will last.

As economist Josh Lehner writes, “Much will depend on how long this first round of the disease persists and whether or not it returns in the fall. Much will depend on how effective the federal enhanced unemployment benefits and small business assistance are. Much will depend on national and international forces outside of our direct control.”

You can read Lehner’s full post here.


For up to date information, please check this link to the Oregon Health Authority where regular updates are posted: https://www.oregon.gov/oha/ERD/Pages/News-Releases.aspx

Please email me at Rep.TinaKotek@oregonlegislature.gov if you have specific concerns that have not been addressed by the OHA. Our office will do all we can to help and protect all Oregonians.

Thank you for reading! We will get through this together.

Best,

Tina

Tina Kotek

State Representative
House District 44
Speaker of the House

email: Rep.TinaKotek@oregonlegislature.gov I phone: 503-986-1200
address: 900 Court St NE, H-269, Salem, OR 97301
website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/kotek