Eric Olsen, Public information officer and grant administrator for the Utah Labor Commission was on board for a zoom meeting hosted by San Juan County Economic Development and Visitors Services director Natalie Randall on Wednesday January 6th. The topic was the Small Business Quarantined Employee Grant (SBQE).
Also on the call was Pratt Redd, Blanding City Economic Development and USU Small Business Development Center Director Meghan Mcfall. Both are instrumental in seeing that area businesses are supported in negotiating many of the grants and resources available.
The grant was developed with CARES money and aimed at small businesses who can’t afford vacation or sick leave benefits for their employees.
Olsen went through the highlights of the SBQE grant which is in place to compensate owners of small businesses, in this case defined as between 2 and 50 employees, for wages they have had to pay to employees quarantining as a result of COVID-19 exposure.
Those employers who have paid out wages since October 1st 2020 through the present are eligible for the grant. Currently approximately $300,000 remains in funding from the original $2
million allocated for the grant.
“This grant came about to give people more choice, opportunity to stay home when they are sick and still get paid.” Olsen stated. “So not only you do the right thing, you’re not going to be behind for doing the right thing. That’s why the Small Business Quarantine Employee Grant was born.”
If you are a business owner who paid two weeks pay to an employee sidelined and quarantined either due to their own contraction of COVID-19 or contact with an infected person that called for their quarantining, you are most likely eligible for the grant.
There will be some documentation requested to get these funds and each affected employee will need separate verification. Your local health department will provide documentation. The Labor Commission will require verification that the employee was on the payroll 2 pay periods prior to quarantine as well as records of the payroll for the quarantine period.
To apply visit: https://laborcommission.utah.gov/small-business-quarantined-employee-grant/
Please note for first time applicants you will be asked to request a log-in which can take up to 48 hours. If you have applied for other GOED (state) COVID relief grants you are able to utilize that log-in information.
For any additional questions please contact [email protected]
Click here to view the Zoom webinar: https://bit.ly/3biRaJT
