Vidya Sethuraman
India Post News Service
Small businesses are the lifeblood of the U.S. economy: they create two-thirds of net new jobs and drive U.S. innovation and competitiveness. Small businesses account for nearly half of all private sector jobs in the U.S. and a majority of new jobs, but many do not expect to survive the pandemic. In Los Angeles County, about 15,000 small businesses have permanently closed their doors as a result of COVID-19, according to WDACS. LA County officials working on the frontlines described their work and offered recommendations on Dec 10 EMS briefing.
Carl Kemp, Environmental Health Public Affairs Manager, Department of Public
Health, discussed COVID-19 Safety Compliance Certificate Program for businesses. Business owners can take this training to receive a COVID-19 Safety Compliance Certificate to be placed at all public entrances to their facility. This certificate acknowledges that their facility is following all the required Public Health COVID-19 Protocols. It is a 37-minute video covering safety protocols and guidelines tailored to specific business types and includes a brief survey. Employees can also watch this training to learn more about the Protocols and the steps their employers must take to offer required workplace protections. The COVID-19 Safety Compliance Certificate is not required, but it is recommended. To limit the spread of COVID-19 within the workplace and community, we need the public, all business owners, and community organizations to support the modified operations of businesses and public spaces to make them as safe as possible during this pandemic, said Carl.
Ernesto Bobadilla, Consumer & Business Affairs Specialist, Department of Consumer & Business Affairs, discussed resources available to small businesses through the Dept.of Small Business.
LA-County disaster help center was launched in March and open from Mon – Fri. They provide assistance to business owners, non-profits, workers, commercial landlords and commercial tenants in this unprecedented time. We have received 33,000 calls and over 2300 emails in multiple languages with English, Spanish and Korean being the popular ones. Since most of their business revenues have spiraled downward, we get calls on the funding resources available followed by questions on eviction, rent moratorium and reopening strategies.
The PPE Unite program is a joint effort to give small business owners and their employees access to much-needed personal protective gear. This public and private partnership program creates access to PPE, promotes PPE use, and provides additional resources for businesses. We provide a 30-day supply of free Personal Protective Equipment to keep your business compliant and employees safe. We need to work together to safely reopen our local economy for the health of our businesses and the general public, added Ernesto. Any business can reach the disaster help center at 833 238 4450.
Bobadilla also highlighted the Procurement Technical Assistance Center, which can help COVID-impacted businesses find new opportunities through contracting directly with the government. Through this program, he said, a company could find customers for its products or its services in federal, state and local governments. Find PTAC at: https://dcba.lacounty.gov/ptac/; or by phone: (323) 881-3694
Sarah Fisher, Economic Justice & Community Partnerships Manager,
Department of Workforce Development, Aging and Community Services, discussed the county’s Safer at Work campaign. Los Angeles County launched a “Safer at Work LA” campaign to boost awareness of public health orders and support essential workers who don’t have the luxury of staying home. The Safer at Work LA campaign is a critical reminder that worksites and businesses, as well as customers and employees, must collectively work together to slow the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace. Safer at Work L.A. uses a three-prong approach to provide support to employers, staff, and customers. First, Safer at Work provides employers with information and resources to help them create a safer work environment.
Second, the campaign provides staff with information and resources to help them protect themselves, fellow staff, and customers. Third, Safer at Work gives customers pointers on how to stay safe while shopping. So far, 59 cities, 8 business chambers, and 61 businesses have agreed to champion the Safer at Work campaign. Resources can be accessed on the campaign’s website, SaferAtWork.LA, as well as the Los Angeles County Disaster Center helpline (1-833-877-8008). Businesses in need of consulting are encouraged to contact LAEDC directly at covid19response@laedc.org.
Safer at Work LA will also rely on trusted community members to use their social networks to drive a community-level approach that hinges on all of our shared responsibility during this pandemic. With this community support, creative public art inspired by the rich tradition of historic Los Angeles sign making will be visible in local neighborhoods to encourage all of LA County residents to do their part.
Alisa Shudofsky, Director, Pro Bono Programs, Bet Tzedek Legal Services, a nonprofit legal aid agency specializing in workplace legal rights, discussed employer-employee relations in small business. She cited recent studies finding that among shuttered businesses, “there’s been a 40% drop in black-owned businesses, a 32% drop in Latinx-owned businesses and also significant drops in immigrant and female-owned businesses. “So we stepped up our efforts to do outreach to these small businesses to help them get up on their feet, stay on their feet, find the assistance that they need from a legal perspective,” Shudofsky said.
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