Last Updated: March 16, 2020   The LGBT community has been through joy and heartache many times in recent years, and we have always emerged stronger than ever because of our commitment to taking care of one another. We know this new coronavirus (COVID-19) is top of mind for every entrepreneur, corporate partners, and supporters our community has these days. As NGLCC we regularly quote the late Senator Paul Wellstone who said, “We all do better when we all do better.” Now, as our businesses and nonprofits push through the coronavirus pandemic and the recovery still to come, we must ensure we are all looking out for one another.   Check this page and NGLCC social media for real-time updates to keep our communities strong.  Any questions: [email protected]      Please read and share our initial op-ed in The Advocate: Keeping the LGBTQ Community Financially Strong During COVID-19     Many in our business community are using the time of slower day-to-day operations to focus on building their businesses for the comeback ahead. Do you need a new business plan or a capability statement to get new business? Now is the perfect time.  Have you been putting off getting the company logo of your dreams or the killer website your business needs? Now is the perfect time. Have you thought about putting your life experience and skills to work to start the small business you never had time to build before? Now is the perfect time.   And best of all: everything you need, from business coaches to work-from-home technology solutions, from meal prep services to global manufacturers, can be sourced directly from within our own community. And helping LGBT Americans through this time is key to helping all Americans succeed. We can never forget that our community includes women, communities of color, people with disabilities, immigrants, veterans, and so many others who need us to stand in solidarity for a stronger, more inclusive economy on the other side of this outbreak.        What's in the House Coronavirus Relief Bill for Small Businesses:  Via Inc.com: Recently, the House passed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, which is designed to give relief to people and businesses affected by Covid-19. It passed, CNN reports, after "intense negotiations between House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the Trump administration." It passed by a vote of 363-40, which means it had bipartisan support. We can expect that the Senate will pass the bill (although undoubtedly with modifications).    It specifically amends the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), giving some key changes. The most important is that this affects all companies with fewer than 500 employees--it doesn't have the 50-employee floor that FMLA has. However, the Department of Labor has the ability to exempt small businesses if they can show this would cause financial hardship. These changes do not affect larger businesses with over 500 employees.  Click here to learn more   NOTE: NGLCC will update this page with the latest developments on this bill.     From the US Chamber of Commerce and Small Business Administration:   The SBA announced it would offer disaster assistance loans for up to $2 million for small businesses affected by the coronavirus. These low-interest loans are available to businesses that have sustained “substantial economic injury” due to the spread of the coronavirus.These loans can be used to pay off outstanding debts, payroll and any other bills they are unable to pay. However, small businesses that have access to credit are not eligible. Small businesses with no available credit qualify for an interest rate of 3.75%, and nonprofits will have an interest rate of 2.75%.The SBA’s Office of Disaster Assistance will coordinate with state governors that submit relief requests. Once a state or territory is approved, these affected businesses will receive more information. State-wide initiatives to help small businesses:So far, the coronavirus has had a varying effect across different states and responses have also varied by state and even local government. The New York City Department of Small Business Services, for example, says it will offer financial assistance to small businesses in the form of loans and grants. The San Francisco Chamber of Commerce also plans to petition the government to waive fees for businesses with low margins. Washington state, the site of the earliest outbreaks, will also offer no-interest loans for businesses that encounter cash flow problems.Since each state’s plan to assist small businesses varies, the best thing small business owners can do is check with their local governor's office for the latest on state specific assistance, resources and updates. You can also check in with local small business organizations and agencies. Here is a list of state- and local-level small business resources to consult: Local SBA office finder List of SCORE organizations by state Assistance from banks and credit card companies:Capital One, Citi and Wells Fargo have all issued statements indicating that they are willing to work with customers that experience financial difficulties. Citi issued a statement that for 30 days, small business customers are eligible to have their monthly service fees waived.Citi is also waiving the fees on early CD withdrawals. Wells Fargo donated $6.25 million in aid to help the public relief effort. The bank also encouraged customers that are experiencing financial hardship to contact customer service for assistance. Work From Home Tips & Best Practices   The Verge: How to work from home    HAVE A SEPARATE WORKSPACE A separate workspace doesn’t have to be a dedicated office with a door that closes (which is often not an option in smaller living spaces). It should be an area that mentally prepares you for work mode, whether it’s a separate room, a small desk set up in a corner of the living room, or a laptop at the end of the kitchen table. Ideally, it would be a place you don’t go to relax, like your bedroom or your sofa, and a place that other members of your household know is designated for work.  If you find you’re most productive with a laptop on the sofa, then by all means, set up shop there. It may take a bit of trial and error to figure out what area of your home is most conducive to getting work done.  ESTABLISH A ROUTINE, INCLUDING NON-WORK HOURS This was the hardest part for me to adapt to when I started working from home: with devices that allow bosses and clients to reach us constantly, you can end up working 24/7. Try to start work around the same time every day if you can, and schedule breaks (including meals) around the same time if possible. I would also advise not eating in your work area, but I can’t put myself up as a good example — all journalists tend to eat at our desks, even the remote ones.  Ideally, you should try to get some outdoor time once a day, to get coffee or walk the dog, so you don’t go too stir crazy.  Working remotely can feel isolating at times, so as part of your routine, try to interact with your co-workers regularly (yes, introverts, even you). Chatting over messaging apps like Slack (even just saying “Hello!” when you sign on in the morning) and holding meetings over Zoom or another video app are two quick and easy ways to stay in the loop. However you connect, don’t let email be the only way you interact with colleagues. Finally — and this is the rule I violate most often — try to end work at the same time every day. Obviously, there will be times when a late deadline or project needs after-hours attention. But in most situations, a 10PM work email can wait until the following morning for a response.  DRESS THE PART Look, one of the biggest selling points of working from home is that you can wear what you want. This is true, and some days, especially if it’s miserable weather or you’re not feeling 100 percent, indulge a little and wear sweats and comfy socks. But to keep a sense of routine, try to get dressed and do it around the same time every day. This might sound a little odd, but I find that in addition to jeans and a comfortable shirt, wearing shoes (instead of slippers or just socks) helps me keep that sense of work vs. relaxation. I’m not talking about the most expensive shoes in your closet; sneakers, flip flops, or other comfortable footwear are just fine. KNOW YOUR BODY I splurged on a good desk chair when I first started working from home, and you may find that’s a worthwhile expense; it’s hard to work if your back is bothering you or you’re not comfortable. Definitely make time to get up and walk away from your desk at regular intervals to stretch your legs (one colleague is a fan of regular breaks for a few sun salutations) and make sure your work area is well-lit so you don’t strain your eyes. The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes look away from your screen and focus your eyes on something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. DON’T HAVE KIDS  Ha, I jest. But in all seriousness, make sure everyone in your family (kids, parents, spouses, and anyone else with a key to the premises) knows that when you’re working you’re not available to help settle minor juice-box-related spats or engage in idle chitchat. Shared living spaces can get noisy, so if your workspace isn’t isolated from common areas, I strongly recommend getting some noise-canceling headphones to signal to others that you’re not to be disturbed and to avoid getting drawn into conversations that are going to distract you (shout out to my well-meaning husband who has a knack for this) while you’re on deadline. If you’re going to try to do chores while you’re working from home, be realistic about what you can get done. Taking out the garbage or checking the mail are two ways to get away from your desk for a quick break, but it’s probably not practical to try to conquer that mountain of laundry all at once while you’re on the clock.  Another suggestion: don’t offer to be the on-call person for friends and neighbors. Of course you should help in emergencies, but if you’re always the go-to for package deliveries or to feed people’s pets “because you’re home anyway,” this can quickly become more time-consuming than is fair. Establish — and stick to — clear boundaries about when you are and aren’t available.  GET THE TOOLS YOU NEED You’ll get a lot of advice about investing in various work tools, such as a standing desk or a separate work computer. If you have the resources to do this and think it will help you (and better still, if your company will reimburse you for these expenses), go for it. If your company is requiring you to work from home, find out what tools they’ll provide and what they’ll pay for.  In addition to the noise-canceling headphones, the only must-haves for my own work-from-home setup are a decent Wi-Fi connection, a computer that meets my needs (this will vary greatly depending on your job), and a reliable cellphone. But if you end up working from home long term, you’ll figure out what you need and what you can afford _____________ Wall Street Journal: Advice for Working From Home as Coronavirus Spreads   So if you do need to work from home, how do you do it successfully—especially if you are scrambling? Here is what you need to know. I am a manager. What do I need to do now to make sure my team can function when we are at home? Make sure they have the right tools. Have them do a test run and report any problems. Ensure they have the right laptops, network access, passcodes and instructions for remote login. Set some ground rules. If you don’t want employees using public Wi-Fi or other unsecured access points—for example, in libraries or cafes—say so. Set up tools to maintain personal connections. Schedule group meetings by videoconferences and set up group chats via tools like Slack or Microsoft Teams. How do I make sure my boss knows I am working? Make an extra effort to check in with your bosses and co-workers. In many messaging tools, you can set a status for colleagues to see. If you sense there is a misunderstanding via email, pick up the phone or hop on a video call. And ...