We want… jobs to return, small business to survive, fairness & equity.
Dear Congress, President Trump and Leaders…
- We want my friends and family to have jobs to go back to and be able to make ends meet.
- We want small business, who generate the vast majority of new jobs in the United States, and account for half of the jobs in the US overall, to continue to survive.
- We want government help to be without favoritism, and make it easy for all demographics to get help.
- We want our economy to recover quickly and avoid the tidal wave of bankruptcies coming.
- We want to recognize that many industries, for the good of everyone, are impacted more, earlier, and longer than others.
- We want to avoid burdening our states’ budgets and systems.
- We want a program that will cost less overall than providing unemployment with a major economic downturn.
- We want a cohesive strategy today based on proven success of the bi-partisan PPP program, without delay — the time is now.
Specifically…
Please enact a new Impacted Industry Paycheck Protection Program (IIPPP) specifically targeted to assist all organizations that have been and are suffering the most from the government restrictions and guidelines intended to protect our communities.
Any small business which has suffered a drop of at least 15% in revenue, for any month after January 31, 2020, compared to the same month in 2019, may apply for IIPPP. Periods already covered by a loan from the original PPP program are not eligible. Grants or forgivable loans received from any special coronavirus programs by any government agency would be deducted. EIDL and other SBA loans not forgiven, accepted or otherwise, have no impact.
IIPPP will follow similar application guidelines to the original PPP, except that the approved IIPPP amount is prorated based on the revenue drop compared to same month(s) in 2019.
Any organization employing less than 500 people is eligible (70% of all businesses), as are medium-sized businesses from 500-1500 (another 28% of businesses) — together, these 98% of businesses account for the vast majority of all jobs. Chains and groups of same-brand businesses owned by one owner, or a substantially similar owner group, will be considered as a single business.
Organizations can apply for any past month after January 2020 and for up to two months in the future. If their revenue drop continues after the initial IIPPP approval, and the revenue drop is documented to be caused by COVID-19 crisis, the organization can apply for one or more IIPPP extensions, two to three months at a time. (Time frame determined by Congress or the SBA.) Renewal times will have a simple, quick to approve form, that will document the difference in revenue and the payroll for that corresponding period in 2019.
Any organization that files a separate tax return, or individuals that filed a schedule C (e.g., are self-employed) in their most recent filed tax return (2018 or 2019), are eligible. This includes not only business, but also non-profits of all types, associations, public and private education, religious institutions, and anyone else that employed individuals for all of 2019, with jobs documented by a W-2. Applications may include non-employers (self-employed) but may not include staff paid by 1099, cash or otherwise are not included as they can apply on their own.
Should the health crisis continue into 2021, IIPPP would continue, but would continue to use 2019 months as its baseline. Organizations which did not exist on or before January 1, 2019 will have different benchmarks consistent with the original PPP program. IIPPP would end 4 months after both a permanent solution to the coronavirus pandemic is implemented nationwide, such as containment practices or herd immunity established by a yet-to-be found vaccine.
To be forgiven, organizations must use at least 60% of the funds received for payroll and benefits, and taxes. The balance may be spent on expenses such as rent, utilities, debt and mortgage payments, as well as products/services enabling work from home (whether new or continuing). Forgiveness is pro-rated based on the above benchmarks vs. actual spending. Penalties for intentional fraud should be increased to a maximum of 10 years in prison and/or 10x the amount of fraud committed.
Organizations applying to IIPPP are agreeing to encourage, support and implement specific guidelines for this program to be outlined by the CDC regarding methods to prevent the spread, self-quarantining, social distancing, contact tracing, mask-wearing, and other public health measures that can be reasonably implemented by a small-to-medium sized business. Furthermore, applicants agree to implement the Sick and Family Leave quarantine benefits as defined by the IRS at https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/new-employer-tax-credits
In conclusion…
To keep health and safety the top priority and be consistent across all industries, the Impacted Industry Paycheck Protection Program (IIPPP) is looking to immediately reemploy in, or keep employment going for, all organizations and industries — at the levels that they are affected for the duration they are impacted. This includes the industries that have been in public discussion such as restaurants, airlines and hotels, as well as all those many industries who are without a unified voice.
We can have a quickly rejuvenated economy today, with a fast recovery at the end of this pandemic – but only by implementing a simple, pervasive, fair and consistent strategy such as IIPPP. Before more businesses disappear forever, please pass IIPPP in the next 30 days.
Want more information? Send an email to us with your phone number to discuss.