Employment expert Rob Wilson shares top tips for leveraging Paycheck Protection Program

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to wreak havoc on the national economy, the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act (PPPFA) provides employers with updated options for managing their loans. However, it’s important to know the best way to leverage these options and protect your company during this time of upheaval.

“Under changes to the PPPFA signed on June 5, employers will now be eligible for loan forgiveness equal to the amount the borrower spent on rent, utilities, and mortgages during the 8-week or 24-week covered period or alternative covered period,” says Rob Wilson, President of Employco USA and human resources expert. “Up to 40% of payroll costs can also be covered under these loan terms.”

What is considered a covered payroll cost under the guidelines of the PPPFA?

“Payroll costs can include salary, wages, commissions, or similar compensation, sick leave or medical leave, group insurance, retirement benefits, and cash tips among other possibilities,” says Wilson. “But there are a few exceptions like compensation of an employee whose residence is out the United States.”

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Employment expert shares crucial advice on reopening and what employers must do to protect themselves, their staff, and their clients

If your reopening is consistent with applicable state and local orders, you might assume that you can flip your ‘closed’ sign around and start embracing our new normal.

However, employment expert Rob Wilson says that employers need to consider more than just state/local guidelines before reopening.

“From putting recommended health and safety actions in place to implementing ongoing monitoring, getting back to work is going to look very different than before, and it’s going to require many workplace modifications,” says Wilson, who has helped guide numerous clients in their reopening procedures.

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Employment trends expert Rob Wilson shares exclusive advice on PPP and what employers must know

Last week the House passed the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act by 417-1, with the aim of easing strain on small business owners who are being crushed by the coronavirus pandemic and work stoppage.

“The House made important modifications to PPP which really lightened the burden on small businesses,” says Rob Wilson, President of Employco USA and employment trends expert. “They reduced the percentage of the loan which must be spent on payroll down to 60%, which ensures that employers can spend the funds on other necessary business expenses.”

Still, Wilson knows that this won’t be enough for many businesses.

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Employment expert discusses ‘Illinois Restored’ and the uncertain future

Gov. J.B. Pritzker just unveiled his new reopening plan for the state of Illinois. The projected 5-phase “Illinois Restored” plan was created to help safely reopen businesses in the state without causing an influx of COVID-19 infections. But what does Illinois’s phases reopening mean for employers and their staff, and should we expect similar plans from other lawmakers across the country?

“Gov. Pritzker’s reopening plan is based heavily on whether the incoming numbers will support plans to open up the state a bit more,” says Rob Wilson, President of Employco USA. “But, if we are seeing an uptick in COVID-19 infections, a sustained increase in hospital admission, or if Illinois’s hospitals start to become overtaxed, the phases will reset back to the start.”

Wilson says that just because the state is starting to talk about reopening, along with several other states, that we should not expect things to go back to normal right away.

“There is going to be a new normal established,” says Wilson. “For example, many areas (like St. Louis County) are saying they will be adopting a ‘no mask, no service’ protocol in which all employees and customers will be required to wear masks. Other companies say they will stagger the return of their employees, for example, bringing just a handful of employees at a time into the office, and rotating work days so that it does not become too crowded and people don’t congregate too closely to one another.”

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