WIXLIB

February 17, 2022Vermont General AssemblyVermont State House115 State StreetMontpelier, VT 05633-5301To the Members of the Vermont General Assembly,We, the undersigned Vermont small business owners, non-profits, and workers, call upon thelegislature to develop a program whereby employers can be reimbursed for paying an employee’slost wages in the event of absenteeism due to COVID-19.The Families First Coronavirus Relief Act (FFCRA) offered needed financial lifelines to families in needby requiring businesses to provide emergency paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave forthose impacted by COVID-19. In return, businesses received FFCRA payroll tax credits which partiallycovered the costs of providing this critical benefit. These credits were later expanded with the passage ofthe American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), but have unfortunately expired as of September 30th of lastyear–leaving businesses to either pay for these benefits out of pocket or eliminate them all together.With the recent surge of COVID cases, workers are being forced to stay home to keep their communitiesand co-workers safe as they care for themselves and/or their loved ones. This loss of work is especiallyprevalent for parents whose children have been exposed or are presenting with symptoms of COVID-19.Mirroring trends throughout this pandemic, we continue to see that loss of child care or schooldisproportionately impacts women in the workforce–exacerbating long standing gender inequities. Weknow that while some businesses have been able to pay their workers for these lost days, many are notable to afford those costs. Similarly, while some families have the savings to remain resilient in thesemoments, our low-income and hourly wage earners are struggling to meet their financial obligations.“Since the beginning of the pandemic, Runamok has done our best to position employee healthand safety as a top priority. While we are in a much better place than we were in March of 2020,one of our most important tools has consistently been to try to exclude infectious people from ourworkplace.On the ground, this comes down to asking employees to stay home if they test positive for covid,have had a meaningful exposure to someone who has tested positive for covid, or have symptomsof covid. Until this January, we were able to provide replacement pay to all impacted employees.Without replacement pay, the burden falls on employees to choose between lost wages, andpotentially exposing others at work. That’s an unenviable position to be in.

The Families First Coronavirus Relief Act (FFCRA) helped us to do this by reimbursing ourcompany for a sizable portion of this expense. With that in mind, when FFCRA funding ran out inSeptember of 2021, we attempted to fund worker replacement pay on our own. With the recentincrease in infections, we have had to change our policy as we are no longer able to manage thecost.” –Eric Sorkin, Runamok Maple, Fairfax, VTAs the legislature considers long term solutions that help to address our workforce challenges,including critical investments in child care, housing, transportation and climate, we ask that youalso address the urgent needs of workers and small businesses by establishing a Vermont COVID19 Worker Relief Fund, that would essentially act as a state-based FFCRA program, to help bothworkers and small business remain financially resilient during these challenging times.In shaping this program, we urge you to consider the following to ensure that this benefit is asrobust, equitable, and accessible as possible:- Wage replacement that is commensurate with the need of every day Vermonters- Wage replacement for workers who need to care for themselves or a family member or care for achild who has lost child care or school for COVID-related reasons- Wage replacement to support the retroactive reimbursement of wages for workers whoexperienced losses during the height of the Omicron surge- Monthly reimbursement to employers as quarterly reimbursement puts an undue burden on theemployer and the employee- In light of the urgent needs of Vermonters, implement this program “Upon Passage”, or within 30days, rather than the start of the fiscal year- Inclusive Family Definition to include one’s chosen family- Eligibility for sole-proprietors - With over 60,000 sole-proprietors in Vermont, we know thatthroughout the pandemic, this group of small business owners were often delayed or completelyleft out of receiving COVID relief. We must ensure that these business owners are included inthis program.The final rule from the US Treasury detailing the allowable uses of ARPA dollars clarifies that said fundscan be used for the purposes of creating, expanding, or funding paid sick and paid family and medicalleave programs, as cited here. With the FFCRA tax credits now expired and the continued communityexposure to COVID-19, we strongly support this timely and targeted support program, as it willundoubtedly help to level the economic playing field and ensure that all workers and all small businesseshave the financial resiliency to put health and safety first.Respectfully submitted:Small Business and Non-Profit Signees:ArlingtonManchester Hot GlassBarreThe Vermont FoodbankBarreCapstone Community Action

BenningtonUnited Counseling ServiceBenningtonSunrise Family Resource CenterBrattleboroThe One CatBrattleboroShapeshiftersBrattleboroAustin Design IncBrattleboroHigh Five Adventure Learning Center IncBrattleboroBlue Moose Italian EateryBrattleboroEarly Education ServicesBrattleboroAmanda Witman ConsultingBurlingtonMarketing Partners IncBurlingtonMcHolbe-Noonan CorporationBurlingtonOutdoor Gear ExchangeBurlingtonPhoenix BooksBurlingtonREVBurlingtonMain Street Alliance of VermontBurlingtonKnead BakeryBurlingtonSweet Basil Cards, Owner, & HANDS, Executive DirectorBurlingtonCommunity of Vermont Elders / Vermont Kin as ParentsBurlingtonOperations PluisBurlingtonBurlington Children's SpaceBurlingtonSports & Fitness Edge Kids & FitnessBurlingtonEmily Eley CoachingBurlingtonAll Heart Inspirations, LLCBurlingtonSweet Basil Cards (Sole Proprietor) & HANDS (Executive Director)BurlingtonVermont Interfaith ActionBurlingtonAt the RootBurlingtonWingspan StudioBurlingtonVermont Businesses for Social ResponsibilityCharlotteJ.Scott MarketingCharlotteChurch Hill Landscapes, Inc.ColchesterEarly Years Child Development Center

ColchesterEarly Learning Center, IncColchesterPlanned Parenthood of Northern New EnglandDummerstonAdvanced Skin Care SoultionsElmoreLamoille Community Food ShareEssex JctVermont Tent CompanyEssex JunctionElement Nail SalonEssex JunctionFrog & Toad Child Care & Learning Center, LLCFairfaxRunamok MapleFairleeVermont Be True, IncGrand Islelittle Feats & little Feats TooGuilfordGuilford Cares Inc.HinesburgFirst Roots - Wild RootsHuntingtonMinds of AutismJerichoLittle PatakhaJohnsonVermont Electric CooperativeKillingtonTrailside InnLyndonvilleMelsMiddleburyAddison County Parent/Child CenterMiddleburyFirst Roots Wild RootsMiddleburyAmerican Flatbread Middlebury HearthMiddleburyMary Johnson Children's CenterMiddlesexVermont Outdoor Business AllianceMiddlesexRed Hen Baking Co.MiddlesexRed Hen Baking CoMiltonPremier Entertainment & Events LLCMiltonMilton Family Community CenterMiltonMilton's Elite ChildcareMiltonLittle One's UniversityMontpelierAction CirclesMontpelierVSECUMontpelierFamily Center of Washington County

MontpelierVermont Arts CouncilMontpelierVermont Network Against Domestic and Sexual ViolenceMontpelierTurtle Island Children's CenterMontpelierVermont Early Childhood Advocacy AllianceMontpellierEmerge with Amy LePageMorrisvilleNectar & Root, LLCNorth Springfield Springfield Area Parent Child fieldkwall yogaPutneyLucas Willson Acres, LLCQuecheeLaw Offices of Susan M. Buckholz P.C.RandolphVermont GloveRichmondOur Community Cares Camp, IncRichmondCarroll Photos,LLCRutlandBeyond WoodworksSaint AlbansGroennfell MeaderySaint AlbansVermont Parent Child Center NetworkSaint JohnsburyWhirligig BrewingShelburneWayfinder Wellness and Physical TherapyShelburneShelburne Nursery SchoolSouth Burlington Working FieldsSouth Burlington United Way of Northwest Vermont (& Common Good Vermont)Twin Oaks Kids & Fitness AKA: Kids & Fitness of SouthSouth Burlington BurlingtonSpringfieldLH Post Massage TherapyStoweSolstice Venture LLCStoweBunyaBunyaStoweThe Twelfth Step, LLC dba Well HeeledStoweEnRoute Consulting

StoweApple Tree Learning CentersStoweRound Hearth Cafe and MarketplaceStoweLeaves of Change VTStoweStowe CiderStoweCorkStowePK CoffeeVergennesBetter World CreativeVergennes3 Squares CafeVergennesJohn Graham Housing & ServicesVergennesAdventure DinnerWaterburyOpen Community AcupunctureWaterburyEdgeworks Creative, LLCWaterburyVilla Ausblick LLCWaterbury Center Stowe Street CafeWestfordWilliston Enrichment CenterWestfordThe Barn SchoolWestminsterVermont Chiropractic &WellnessWhite RiverJunctionHanover Co-op Food Stores & Auto Service CentersWhite RiverJunctionPiecemeal PiesWhite RiverJunctionPetalsWillistonEJ's Kids Klub, Inc.WillistonChildren UnlimitedWillistonVermont Family Network, Inc.WinooskiKat Whitledge Basics & BespokeWinooskiOffbeat CreemeeWORKER SIGN ONS:

AlburghDorothy HillikerAlburghMatthew Lawrence LeFluerBakersfieldJeff MitchellBakersfieldKevin StetzBarreAnne Kristy RiveraBarreCandy HoughBarrePatrick MahoneyBarreStacia WrightBarreDarian MagnerBenningtonCara DeAngeloBenningtonGailBenningtonKristen OlmsteadBenningtonCamille KauffmanBerlinHannah ConnerBerlinBrooke CyrBoltonStephanie JacobsBoltonTerri SchultaBomoseenKatie CrowleyBradfordLisa EllisBrandonAlyssa HutchinsBrandonMelissa DisordaBrattleboroShannon E PrescottBrattleboroPatricia SheehanBristolEmily GoodrichBristolGail CousinoBristolLinda ClarkBristolLynn DevriesBristolMaria WilesBurlingtonAbigail MarshallBurlingtonAnn McKayBurlingtonAnna Garbolski

BurlingtonAnna SienkiewyczBurlingtonAshley LaFountainBurlingtonBrenda JacksonBurlingtonBrendan O'NeillBurlingtonBrenden HayBurlingtonCarly VanOpdorpBurlingtonCecelia MathonBurlingtonCharissa RettewBurlingtonClarissa HaasBurlingtonDanielle GallantBurlingtonDonna ZarroBurlingtonEmily ThomasBurlingtonEmma SullivanBurlingtonHannah ScheibnerBurlingtonHaylie LaneBurlingtonIvy EnochBurlingtonJessica RobinsonBurlingtonJoanne HuntBurlingtonJulia ClaytonBurlingtonK LawsonBurlingtonKara FauthBurlingtonKatlyn MorrisBurlingtonKeith BrunnerBurlingtonKelly DoblerBurlingtonLeah OklanBurlingtonLisa WoodBurlingtonLorena TotuBurlingtonMaggie BelenszBurlingtonMbuyi SmithBurlingtonMorgan MerchandBurlingtonMorgan Nichols

BurlingtonPatra (Happy) VailBurlingtonPeggy FritzBurlingtonRochelle PaquetteBurlingtonRori AngelBurlingtonSabina ParkerBurlingtonSarah BattenBurlingtonSarah RicketsonBurlingtonShelagh CooleyBurlingtonStephanie PhelpsBurlingtonStephanie SzkaradnikBurlingtonaustin ashleyBurlingtonAllison ruarksBurlingtonBeth GamacheCambridgeKristy MarshCambridgeLindsey HebertCambridgeNicola FordCambridgePat DelaneyCambridgeSharon EaglesCambridgeChrystal WessbergCambridgeJessie Mongeon, RNCastletonAlicia WaymireCastletonMary DroegeCastletonSarah Coulter DannerChamplainMadison DumasCharlotteHannah BaxterCharlotteLynn AlpeterCharlotteMary Anne KohnCharlotteCharlotte RainvilleCharlotteHillary JoyalChesterJoan GrossmanChesterLeigh Dakin