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Dear friends,
As cases of COVID-19 in Oregon continue to rise, Governor Brown on Monday announced two new measure to help limit the spread: prohibiting indoor gatherings of 10 people or more and mandating face coverings outdoors when social distancing (six feet or more) isn't possible. The indoor gathering limit does not apply to businesses or worship services. For more information, please see this OPB article.
The Legislature's Emergency Board met yesterday to allocate additional state resources in response to COVID-19. Among them was a proposal totaling $35 million to distribute emergency relief checks of $500 per person for Oregonians who have applied for unemployment benefits but not yet received benefits from the Oregon Employment Department (OED). Funding for this distribution will come from Oregon's CARES Act funds and is expected to serve nearly 70,000 Oregonians who are still waiting for benefits from the state. The one-time payments will not be linked to future benefits. Individuals who have filed for, but not yet received, benefits from either the Unemployment Insurance program or the Pandemic Assistance Unemployment program are eligible.
Also among the E-board's COVID-19 response allocations from CARES Act funds was $50 million to support music, culture, and community venues and organizations that have been closed, cancelled or postponed due to the pandemic. In Senate District 4, the Cottage Theatre in Cottage Grove received a grant of $44,205. The full list of venues and organizations that received direct grants is available here. For venues that didn't receive direct grants, a process will be put in place for counties to distribute funds to qualifying organizations by September 15, 2020.
Further E-board emergency allocations included:
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$25.6 million in emergency assistance for small businesses facing financial shortfalls due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This supports businesses with up to 25 employees that have not received support under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) or other provisions of the federal CARES Act.
- $62 million to the Oregon Cares Fund for Black Relief and Resiliency to provide economic relief to Black individuals and businesses. National and state data show that the Black community is one of the communities experiencing a disproportionate share of negative economic and health effects due to COVID-19.
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$30 million to the COVID-19 Leave Fund for workers who contract or have been exposed to the virus but do not qualify for traditional sick leave.
- $3.58 million in general funds for emergency water infrastructure to the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs as the tribe faces an ongoing water crisis.
Please continue to do your part to help stop the spread of COVID-19 in Oregon by remaining vigilant: Maintain six feet of social distance, wear a mask, wash hands frequently and stay home if you feel sick. As the Spreading Kindness Campaign teaches us: Wearing a mask is an act of kindness because doing so protects others more than it protects ourselves.
Below you will find information on:
- Latest Oregon COVID-19 Infection Data
- Update from the Oregon Employment Department
- Primary Resource Links
- Reference Media
I hope this information is helpful and informative for you or someone you know. As always, feel free to share your comments, questions or concerns with me by phone, mail or e-mail.
Latest Oregon COVID-19 Infection Data
The Oregon Health Authority has created a public online dashboard where the latest case, test, and death counts are posted daily. Moving forward, please use this link to access the most up-to-date data: https://govstatus.egov.com/OR-OHA-COVID-19.
Update from the Oregon Employment Department
I continue to hear from constituents who are facing challenges or delays in dealing with the unemployment benefit process. I share their frustrations. I'm sorry people are not receiving responses or payments in a more timely manner. We've been working with the department to get answers. Here is the latest update from OED to legislators:
OED launched a new informational website aimed at improving customer service for the record number of Oregonians applying for and receiving unemployment benefits. The new site, https://unemployment.oregon.gov, is designed to help Oregonians more easily find information on the new programs created by the CARES Act, whether they might qualify for unemployment benefits, how to apply, and what's different during the pandemic.
OED has heard many legislators who say the department needs to do a better job communicating about benefits and the unemployment claims process. OED's goal with the new website is to provide clear information so people can file their claims, avoid unnecessary delays, and get their questions answered without having to call.
Over the coming days and weeks, OED plans to add more content and features to the informational website. Highlights include:
- A Contact Us form to assist Oregonians who have been waiting the longest to have their claims resolved
- Information about new federal CARES Act benefit programs
- An Eligibility Quiz to help people figure out which program to apply for
- Step-by-step videos and guides for how to apply for regular Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) benefits
- Resources for employers about the Work Share program, reopening business, and more
- Other resources available to Oregonians while they wait for unemployment benefits, such as benefits to help with rent, utilities, health coverage, or groceries
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A robust section of Frequently Asked Questions, which will be updated weekly as new questions arise
Primary Resource Links
Here's a list of government resources that you may find useful:
Reference Media
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