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This list of resources was last updated on 10/30/23. Please email Maeve Wiesen with any additional information.
Legislation
Federal Enactments
- Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act 2020
- Families First Coronavirus Response Act
- Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES)
State Enactments (2019-2020 Session)
- S.2598 would waive the one-week waiting period for unemployment applicants to begin receiving benefits
- 3/18/20: Signed by Governor
- HD.4974 would provide administrative relief to state and local government entities impacted by the COVID-19 emergency including modifying local permitting processes, enabling municipalities to extend tax and finance deadlines, and extending deadlines for certain education requirements
- 3/24/20: Governor’s Press Release
- S.2640 would provide liability protections for health care workers and facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic
- 4/17/20: Signed by Governor
- S.2645 would provide for virtual notarization to address challenges related to COVID-19
- 4/23/20: Signed by Governor
- S.2812 would expand takeout/delivery options in response to COVID-19, by allowing restaurants to sell mixed cocktails with takeout and delivery orders
- 7/20/20: Signed by Governor
- S.2984 would require health plans to continue covering telehealth for mental health and substance use services after the COVID-19 State of Emergency is lifted
- 1/1/21: Governor’s Press Release
State Proposals (2019-2020 Session)
- S.2621 would provide temporary protections for renters and homeowners during the COVID-19 emergency
- S.2964 would provide real estate tax abatements to help businesses impacted by the Phase IV reopening plan
- S.2940 would create a commission to examine the impact of the state minimum wage replacing the tipped minimum wage for restaurant workers, including the impact of COVID-19 on the restaurant industry
- S.2882 would establish the COVID Emergency Paid Sick Leave Fund to provide financial assistance to businesses not covered by the Family First Coronavirus Response Act for extended emergency paid sick leave
- S.2869 would protect working parents during the COVID-19 emergency by prohibiting employers from terminating employees who cannot physically report to work due to a lack of childcare
- S.2830 would address challenges faced by restaurants and other establishments due to COVID-19 by allowing for outdoor alcohol service
- S.2818 would address estate recovery issues due to COVID-19
- S.2814 would institute a moratorium on the requirement of MCAS testing for graduation fulfillment due to the COVID-19 emergency through the school year ending in 2024
- S.2732 would allow public employees who contract COVID-19 during the course of their work to have their inability to work presumed to be work-related
- S.2731 would require assisted living facilities certified by the state to adopt additional public health measures to prevent deaths related to COVID-19
- S.2702 would provide COVID-19 emergency financial relief for veterans
- S.2659 would provide equal stimulus checks to immigrant taxpayers
- S.2656 would provide emergency financial assistance to gateway cities for temporary homeless shelters
- S.2602 would provide that first responders who contract COVID-19 during the course of their work to have their inability to work presumed to be work-related
- SD.2870 would ensure state employees are able to use paid sick leave for COVID-19 related absences if they don’t have sufficient time accrued
- SD.2885 would require the Department of Housing and Community Development to establish a grant program to provide funding for the operation of temporary shelters for homeless individuals established in Gateway Cities during the COVID-19 state of emergency
- SD.2886 would require the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security to establish a grant program to provide funding for cities and towns for the overtime costs of municipal public safety personnel during the COVID-19 state of emergency
- SD.2888 would require insurers to cover losses arising from business interruptions related to COVID-19; allow insurers to apply for reimbursement for the costs of such claims through the Division of Insurance; and allow the Division of Insurance to, over time, impose one or more special assessments on insurers licensed in MA that sell business interruption coverage, in order to fund the cost of such reimbursement
- SD.2889 would allow borrowers struggling to pay their mortgages due to the COVID-19 crisis to forbear on their mortgage payments for up to 180 days, with the payments to be added to the end of the term of the loan. The lenders would not be allowed to report this forbearance as late payments to credit rating agencies and after
- HD.4926 would establish a financial assistance fund for hourly wage workers
- HD.4935 would create a moratorium on housing evictions and foreclosures
- HD.4936 would establish a financial assistance fund for public higher education institutions
- HD.4937 would establish a financial assistance fund for host communities of public higher education institutions
- HD.4939 would establish a financial assistance fund for regional transit authorities
- HD.4945 would require the Department of Revenue to provide emergency cash assistance for qualifying households
- HD.4952 would provide $10 million to MEMA to deliver a range of enhanced services for individuals and families experiencing homelessness
- HD.4955 would expand MassHealth eligibility to all persons who qualify for unemployment benefits and all who are directly impacted by the COVID-19 State of Emergency
- HD.4956 would allow DHCD and/or a City or Town to enact rent increase freezes or rent control policies for the duration of the State of Emergency plus 30 days after
- HD.4958 would expand Unemployment Insurance eligibility to independent contractors, sole proprietors, partners in a partnership, freelance, and tipped employees who were directly impacted by the COVID-19 State of Emergency
- HD.4961 would suspend the payment and collection of student loan payments during the COVID-19 State of Emergency
- HD.4962 would expand Unemployment Insurance benefits during public health emergencies; extending benefits from 26 to 39 weeks and allowing claimants to receive a higher percentage share of their previous pay
- HD.4963 would allow individuals who are currently incarcerated but pose no immediate physical threat to the community to be released
- HD.4965 would create an emergency fund of $50 million to be distributed through a grant program administered by the Department of Transitional Assistance to food pantries across the state
- HD.4966 would ensure that goods, products and services that are used for care, treatment or prevention of illness or disease are not sold at an unconscionable excessive price during a state of emergency
- HD.4971 would allow restaurants to sell their current stock of beer, wine, and liquor alongside food orders with certain limitations
- HD.4978 would provide monthly cash assistance for elderly individuals who do not qualify for unemployment insurance benefits, including hourly workers, part-time workers, self-employed persons, or other persons receiving a federal Form 1099
- HD.4979 would forgive the state restaurant meals tax during the the COVID-19 state of emergency
- HD.4984 would ensure that Internet providers in MA provide the highest bandwidth possible for residential customers during the pandemic
- HD.4985 would establish up to $10,000 grant for small community churches in MA gateway cities with parishioners less than 100 members
- HD.4986 would provide $15,000 grant subsidy to micro-business owners who have under 5 employees and sales from 2018 taxes that did not exceed $200,000 in revenue
See COVID-19 Page for General Information
Please feel free to comment below with questions or suggestions you may have related to COVID-19 relief resources.
New York State has just adopted a new sick leave policy, which also builds on their paid family leave policy (see https://www.governor.ny.gov/paid-sick-leave-covid-19-impacted-new-yorkers/emergency-covid-19-paid-sick-leave).
Massachusetts has some paid sick leave required, and moreover has a family and medical leave policy due to start coverage in 2021.
Is there any discussion of moving up that coverage so that it can start now, for people with longer illness or sick family members? Still doesn`t help people with kids not sick but home from school, but it would do something to cover the gap for those working for very small or very large companies, who would fall through gaps in the new federal bill. Thanks.
On behalf of independent local restaurants and their workers, we are urging elected officials to:
Establish a grant program for companies with under 125 employees to sustain our businesses and cover our liabilities
Take legislative action to close the Virus Exclusion in Business Interruption Insurance.
Suspend payroll, meals, city and local taxes
Provide commercial rent forgiveness
Our operations would not be possible without our hardworking staff and team members. We are asking for emergency relief that will:
Pass immediate and expedited legislation for compensating restaurant workers, regardless of citizenship status.
Provide emergency grants for loan and debt relief for workers affected by the loss in wages.
Allow residential rent relief for employees earning less than $50,000.
Offer guaranteed free testing for Covid-19 for all citizens in the Commonwealth.
Provide guaranteed health care for any citizen of the Commonwealth diagnosed with Covid-19.
HI Carolyn, Have you checked out the new federal legislation? Really promising for small businesses.