COVID19 Information and Resources for Oregon Child Care Providers
Union Resources
Call the Council 75’s SMART Center for general union information and resources:
1-844-75-UNION
1-844-758-6466
Mon-Fri, (closed all major holidays), 9am - 5p
Contact your CCPT Council Rep, Aimee Olin, [email protected] or Local President, Autumn David, [email protected]
AFSCME International website: afscme.org
Follow us on FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/OCCPT/
CARES Act Small Business Loan and Grant Programs Fact Sheet
COMMUNITY RESOURCES
Call 211
For information and resources in Oregon, call 211 from a cell phone, call 503-222-5555 from a landline, text your zip code to 898211 or email [email protected].
Food Assistance
Each county has a network of community groups that provide meals and food pantries. Google ‘food assistance’ for your County or call 211.
Utility Assistance
Many jurisdictions have passed emergency laws prohibiting utility shut-offs during the pandemic. Call your utilities directly if you need assistance or connect to 211 at https://www.211info.org/energy to find options in your area.
Other Resources for COVID-19 information
Oregon Health Authority (OHA): https://www.oregon.gov/oha/pages/index.aspx
Internal Revenue Service: irs.gov (Tax filings for 2019 have been deferred until July 15, 2020)
Small Business Administration: sba.gov
In Portland: prosperportland.us/covid-19-business-resources/
USDA: usda.gov
Child Care Resources and Referral (CCRR): https://ccrr-mc.org
Food Research and Action Center (FRAC): https://frac.org/COVID-19-update
Child Care Aware: https://www.childcareaware.org
Administration for Children & Families (ACF): https://www.acf.hhs.gov/coronavirus
HOUSING
Access protections and resources for renters and homeowners so that you can keep your home through the COVID response and be ready for a full program as people return to work. This information is also for families and employees who are worried about their housing.
Homeowners
Mortgage Protections for Federally Backed Loans
The first round of federal COVID-19 relief packages includes a moratorium on foreclosures of federally backed loans such as Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac loans, FHA, VA and Department of Ag/Rural Housing Services loans.
You can go to this document from the National Housing Law Project to find out more information on payment relief and foreclosure protections.
More information will be coming from the state when they are called into session and until then contacting your state legislators to let them know how important a state foreclosure moratorium for all homeowners is.
You can follow the Oregon Housing Alliance (AFSCME is a member) for housing updates on the state and federal level: https://www.oregonhousingalliance.org/eviction-and-foreclosure-moratorium-information/
Mortgage Protections for Standard Loans
Most mortgage companies have pledged to work with their borrowers if they are unable to pay their mortgage. Contact your mortgage company directly to see what programs are in place.
Renters
On April 1st, Governor Brown issued an executive order establishing protections for renters during the COVID-19 pandemic through June 30, 2020, which includes:
Prohibiting all landlords in Oregon from doing the following:
Giving termination notices for nonpayment of rent, fees, utilities, or other charges
Charging late fees or penalties for nonpayment
Giving termination notices without cause
Starting an eviction case based on nonpayment or without cause (even for notices given before April 1, 2020)
Requesting a writ of execution based on noncompliance with a stipulated agreement (if the eviction was based on nonpayment or termination without cause)
Tenants need to give notice to their landlord if they are unable to pay any or part of the rent due to COVID-19 related loss of income before the rent is due and pay what they can
Tenants will need to repay any unpaid rent within local government timeframes (some local governments require 6-month repayment)
All evictions hearings are postponed until June 1st with possible exceptions for violent or outrageous conduct.
As the Federal and State governments continue to work on financial packages to help with rent assistance and to help people experiencing homelessness to find housing.
Homeowner & Renter Legal Questions
The Oregon Law Center can help answer questions about your rights as a renter:
https://oregonlawhelp.org/
https://oregonlawhelp.org/es - Spanish
https://oregonlawhelp.org/es/languages - Other languages
UNEMPLOYMENT
Videos from the Oregon Employment Department on how to apply for unemployment: https://youtu.be/995zJOcYscs
HOW TO BECOME AN EMERGENCY CHILD CARE PROVIDER
According to this March 24 temporary order, if you completed and submitted an Emergency Child Care facility application, you may continue providing Emergency Child Care. Emergency Child Care providers must follow all applicable requirements, pending OCC’s decision on whether to approve the application. If OCC later informs you that your application is not approved, you must cease care immediately.
If you missed the March 31, 2020 deadline, you must close. After closing, you may submit an application to re-open as an Emergency Child Care, which requires you to:
Prioritize child care for first responders, emergency workers, health care professionals and other Essential Workers
Provide care to “stable” groups of 10 or fewer children. “Stable” means the same 10 or fewer children are in the same home or classroom.
Follow the Safety Procedures and Guidance for Child Care Facilities Operating During COVID-19 developed by the Early Learning Division and Oregon Health Authority.
You will need to remain closed unless/until approved and timely applications will be processed first.
From OCC: If a provider is denied to for ECC: “We’re working right now on “denial” language. I don’t think we’ve sent any denials, per se. We have asked people for additional information; some people may perceive that as denial but it’s not. When there are denials, there will be a process to ask us to reconsider. That will be in the language.
OREGON CHILD CARE PROVIDER RELIEF GUIDE
The Oregon Child Care Provider Relief Guide is a statewide effort that is being undertaken by a collaboration of public and private partners and funded by philanthropy. Their intention is to provide hands-on support to help child care providers access the new federal funds that are available for small businesses. These emergency funding opportunities all have different application requirements, so sorting them out is challenging. Volunteer coaches with business expertise are signing up to help child care providers access these programs.
Request a coach: http://www.orproviderrelief.org/contact-a-coach.html
COVID-19 FEDERAL RELIEF PACKAGE
The Department of Treasury will begin making COVID-19 payments through direct deposit on April 15. If you filed your 2018 or 2019 taxes via direct deposit this will be automatic. If the IRS doesn’t have direct deposit information on file, the best way to receive the benefit as quickly as possible would be to file your 2019 taxes. The IRS will update files weekly in order to issue further direct deposits.
Starting on May 4, the IRS will begin issuing paper checks beginning with people with the lowest income first. Paper check disbursal could take up to 20 weeks.
ORGANIZING – TAKE ACTION!
Political actions
Call or email the Governor and your legislatures NOW. Here’s what they need to do: (link to script)
Collecting your Stories:
Please email us your stories about the challenges you are facing during COVID-19. We will use these for bargaining next spring as well for testifying before legislators in for policy changes. Lawmakers frequently don’t have an understanding of your life experiences and sharing your story will help to make sure that policy decisions are inclusive for every Oregon family:
BREAKING NEWS
https://www.opb.org/news/article/oregons-childcare-system-faces-uncertain-future/