Governor Bill Lee issued and updated Tennessee Pledge Guidelines for all businesses and his Economic Recovery Group (ERG) request survey response from businesses.

The “Tennessee Pledge” plan encourages best practices for businesses with suggested health and safety guidelines for those opening up and for those who have been operating. Please note this is not mandatory but businesses are STRONGLY encouraged to follow these guidelines which are largely best practices developed by health professionals.

View and download the Business Guidelines.

Also, Governor Lee and his Economic Recovery Group (ERG) are requesting all businesses to complete a Tennessee state government business survey. Responses will aid in developing policies to help the business community and will provide valuable insight to the ERG and efforts to safely reopen our economy.

Take the TN Business Survey.

Governor Bill Lee issued and updated Tennessee Pledge Guidelines for all businesses and his Economic Recovery Group (ERG) request survey response from businesses.

The “Tennessee Pledge” plan encourages best practices for businesses with suggested health and safety guidelines for those opening up and for those who have been operating. Please note this is not mandatory but businesses are STRONGLY encouraged to follow these guidelines which are largely best practices developed by health professionals.

View and download the Business Guidelines.

Also, Governor Lee and his Economic Recovery Group (ERG) are requesting all businesses to complete a Tennessee state government business survey. Responses will aid in developing policies to help the business community and will provide valuable insight to the ERG and efforts to safely reopen our economy.

Take the TN Business Survey.

The Foundation’s Covid-19 Response Fund received a boost through a contribution from the Jackson Energy Authority, matched by the Covid-19 Community Care Fund of the TVA.

The TVA Covid-19 Fund was established to help local power companies meet immediate community needs and hardships created by this pandemic.

Jim Ferrell, President/CEO Jackson Energy Authority, felt the TVA’s objective matched perfectly with the Foundation’s Covid-19 Response Fund. “The Foundation’s effort to meet immediate individual needs, not covered by other sources, was a much needed step,” stated Ferrell. “We appreciate TVA assisting our community.”

“In the spirit of public power, we are honored to partner with local companies to address the unprecedented challenges facing those we serve," said Jeanette Mills, TVA Executive Vice-President and Chief External Relations Officer. "TVA has a mission of service to make life better for the people of the Valley, and providing these funds to address immediate needs is one way we can help ease the burdens on families and communities.”

Monte Cooper, Sr. Vice-President of Electricity at the Jackson Energy Authority, reported a $20,000 donation matched by $20,000 from the TVA would add appreciably to the initial $20,000 committed by the Foundation to the Covid-19 Response Fund.

The Fund, administered through grants to non-profit groups, will address needs for those who have experienced job loss, reduction in hours, food and housing insecurity and other issues that unemployment and other government assistance do not cover.

“There is not a government program to address every individual circumstance,” summarized The Foundation’s, Frank McMeen. “This matching contribution from TVA and the Jackson Energy Authority, along with many other individual and corporate donors, will further enable our efforts to fill the gaps and assist individuals and families negatively impacted by the Coronavirus.”

On behalf of the Tennessee Chamber, we are committed to helping businesses during this critical time and are letting you know about an opportunity for your business and employees, in a variety of sectors both essential and non-essential, to learn in detail about combined federally recognized resources and best practices to ensure a healthy and disease free workplace.

Completion of this 3 hour Tennessee Chamber Healthy Business Certification will be offered online and is designed for any worker that wants to acquire knowledge on workplace health and pandemic response. Registration information is included below.

This intensive training will review OSHA regulations, CDC and WHO recommendations for operating during a pandemic. Training will include the development of a customized Infectious Disease Prevention Control Plan for your facility or business. This plan is crucial to demonstrate and document your efforts to maintain a healthy and disease free workplace.

Courses will be Industry specific and offered on the following dates and times.

Manufacturers:

Retailers:

Small Business:

**Attendance is limited-Register Today!**

Registration fee for the 3 hour training course is $199 for Members/$299 Non Members.

Tennessee Chamber is happy to offer the discount below to members of the Local Chambers for the Retail Industry webinar (that is inclusive of restaurants)

Promo Code: LCM50/p>

This promo code can be applied to one, non-member registration for the ‘Retailers’ certification. This saves individual $50 off the $299 registration fee. Limited to one discount per registration.

In addition, if a local business is interested in membership with the Tennessee Chamber, it is also offering a $499 special annual membership rate that includes one Healthy Business Certification registration ($299). Email Jim Skelton, for more detail./

Register online and click on date of webinar (or click your preferred date above).

Once registered, a Zoom link will be sent.

Course Objectives:

The training is for essential and non-essential business.

See additional information.

On behalf of the Tennessee Chamber, we are committed to helping businesses during this critical time and are letting you know about an opportunity for your business and employees, in a variety of sectors both essential and non-essential, to learn in detail about combined federally recognized resources and best practices to ensure a healthy and disease free workplace.

Completion of this 3 hour Tennessee Chamber Healthy Business Certification will be offered online and is designed for any worker that wants to acquire knowledge on workplace health and pandemic response. Registration information is included below.

This intensive training will review OSHA regulations, CDC and WHO recommendations for operating during a pandemic. Training will include the development of a customized Infectious Disease Prevention Control Plan for your facility or business. This plan is crucial to demonstrate and document your efforts to maintain a healthy and disease free workplace.

Courses will be Industry specific and offered on the following dates and times.

Manufacturers:

Retailers:

Small Business:

**Attendance is limited-Register Today!**

Registration fee for the 3 hour training course is $199 for Members/$299 Non Members.

Tennessee Chamber is happy to offer the discount below to members of the Local Chambers for the Retail Industry webinar (that is inclusive of restaurants)

Promo Code: LCM50/p>

This promo code can be applied to one, non-member registration for the ‘Retailers’ certification. This saves individual $50 off the $299 registration fee. Limited to one discount per registration.

In addition, if a local business is interested in membership with the Tennessee Chamber, it is also offering a $499 special annual membership rate that includes one Healthy Business Certification registration ($299). Email Jim Skelton, for more detail./

Register online and click on date of webinar (or click your preferred date above).

Once registered, a Zoom link will be sent.

Course Objectives:

The training is for essential and non-essential business.

See additional information.

Give Back 731 represents the coming together of over 60 nonprofits in West Tenn. on May 5, 2020 for #GivingTuesdayNow — a new global day of giving and unity that enables individuals across the world to transform their local communities in response to COVID-19.

Due to the pandemic, communities across West Tenn. are increasingly looking to nonprofits to help meet their most basic needs. From facing hunger due to unemployment, to finding a safe haven away from abuse, the needs of the community are higher than ever before.

To kick off the campaign, Toyota has partnered with West Tennessee Healthcare Foundation and United Way of West Tennessee by offering a $25,000 sponsorship. Toyota’s slogan: Take 5 to Give $5, will be conveyed across communication channels to help support local nonprofits who are working to keep us healthy, safe and resilient during the pandemic. Donors are encouraged to take 5 minutes to give $5, $50, or even $500 to the nonprofit agencies of their choice. Community members can visit the Give Back 731 website to give back on May 5. Each nonprofit will have its own individual page to share their current needs, requests, and take donations.

During Giving Tuesday, nonprofits can also earn grant awards, which will make the donations worth more than face value. Grant awards may be presented to the organization with the most donations raised during a certain hour, the most individual donors during a certain hour, or the most donors throughout the day.

“Give Back 731 is a chance for everyone to join in and be a part of the biggest day of giving ever,” stated Matt Marshall, United Way President / CEO. “This is an opportunity to Unite our 731 community around the causes we genuinely believe in and the organizations which help sustain us during our most challenging moments.”

Join us on May 5 and Take 5 to Give $5 back to your 731 community as we work together to support the causes we are most passionate about. Funds raised will help support those on the frontline of our community's response to COVID-19.

Nonprofits participating in the Give Back 731 campaign:

Sealed bids, subject to the conditions specified on all sheets in the bid information link below, will be received until 10:30 A.M. on Wednesday, May 20, 2020 in the Purchasing Department at City Hall and then publicly opened, for furnishing the following supplies and/or services to be delivered in accordance with the following instructions found here: City of Jackson Bid Information.

WASHINGTON – Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration Jovita Carranza and U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin issued the following statement today on the resumption of the Payroll Protection Program (PPP):

“We are pleased that President Trump has signed into law the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act, which provides critical additional funding for American workers and small businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic. We want to thank Leader McConnell, Leader Schumer, Speaker Pelosi, and Leader McCarthy for working with us on a bipartisan basis to ensure that the Paycheck Protection Program is funded so that small businesses can keep hardworking Americans on the payroll.

“The Small Business Administration will resume accepting PPP loan applications on Monday, April 27 at 11:30AM CT from approved lenders on behalf of any eligible borrower. This will ensure that SBA has properly coded the system to account for changes made by the legislation.

“The PPP has supported more than 1.66 million small businesses and protected over 30 million jobs for hardworking Americans. With the additional funds appropriated by Congress, tens of millions of additional workers will benefit from this critical relief.

“We encourage all approved lenders to process loan applications previously submitted by eligible borrowers and disburse funds expeditiously. All eligible borrowers who need these funds should work with an approved lender to apply. Borrowers should carefully review PPP regulations and guidance and the certifications required to obtain a loan.

“The Trump Administration is fully committed to ensuring that America’s workers and small businesses continue to get the resources they need to get through this challenging time.”

For more information on the Paycheck Protection Program, visit: sba.gov/paycheckprotection.

A group of pastors from the community will meet to develop guidelines for opening church facilities during COVID-19.

“I’d like for them to lead the charge on what they feel is best for the health of their congregation as well as people in the community that their members interact with,” said City of Jackson Mayor Scott Conger.

“I’ve admired the creativity and ingenuity that churches have used to continue meeting via online streaming or drive up services. We want people to continue to exercise their religious freedom but have to acknowledge that large groups of people accelerate the spread of this virus.”

The goal of this committee is to recommend guidelines for the city moving into May.

“We expect that individual churches will use different plans to meet their specific needs but thought this would be a good opportunity for pastors to get together and share what has worked best for their church and what could be done moving forward,” said Madison County Mayor Jimmy Harris.

“Tony White will participate in the meetings on behalf of the county and Alex Reed will participate on behalf of the city,” said Harris. “This is a joint effort and we are looking forward to receiving the pastors’ recommendations.”

The first virtual committee meeting will be Friday, April 24.