Shelter In Place Regulations:

On April 2, Governor Kemp signed an executive order requiring residents and visitors of the state of Georgia to “shelter in place,” effective April 3 at 6 p.m. through April 13, 2020, in line with the state’s public health emergency order, to ensure uniformity across the state. Governor Kemp also signed an executive order on April 1, closing Georgia Public Schools through the end of the 2019 - 2020 school year.

Governor Kemp’s executive order supplants any local ordinances or orders related to COVID-19 that have been adopted since March 1, 2020, including all other shelter-in-place orders, so long as the Governor’s executive order remains in effect. Governor Kemp issued a video explaining the executive order and listing businesses that must cease in-person operations and close to the public while the order is effect. View it online here.

A breakdown and description of three business categories, with descriptions of “critical” and “non-critical” infrastructure and requirements can be found at this link. Please read these guidelines in their entirety to understand how your business is impacted by this order as well as to help you make a self-determination as to whether your business is “critical infrastructure” and how best to proceed.

Attached to is  a “Statewide Shelter in Place Handout” that has been issued by the Governor’s office and includes several Frequently Asked Questions regarding the order, as well as, the federal guidance that determines “critical infrastructure” from the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), included on pages 7-19. 

Governor Kemp’s order describes three different categories for businesses, and each category has different protocols with how to proceed. I have attached three documents to this email that will be helpful for you and your companies:

1. Governor Kemp’s executive order that was signed yesterday
2. A “Statewide Shelter in Place Handout” document that originated from the Governor’s office. This includes CISA’s “critical infrastructure” industries, general FAQ, and a summary of the executive order. On the last page of this document, there are clear guidelines stating the employers do not need to issue letters to their employees to prove that they fall into one of the exceptions for Essential Services, Necessary Travel, Critical Infrastructure, or Basic Minimum Operations
3. CISA’s Guidance on “critical infrastructure” industries 

After carefully reading the guidelines, if a company is unclear as to whether their business meets the guidelines in Governor Kemp's executive order as defined by "critical infrastructure," please have them complete this form. 

Given the volume of information coming in from around the state, we are trying to reserve these submissions for companies that truly cannot get clear guidelines from the documents provided to them.

Please note as listed on page 22 of the handout, employees do not need a letter from their employer or the government to prove that they fall into one of the exceptions for Essential Services, Necessary Travel, Critical Infrastructure, or Basic Minimum Operations.

To Download the Shelter in Place PDF click here 

Please continue to monitor our website at https://www.georgia.org/covid19 for updated information.

**Looking for a positive connection to other entrepreneurs across the country?  Check out #openwestand to learn new ideas from others (for example, how to go digital) or to share your ideas and support!

Department of Labor:

Information regarding Filing for Unemployment can be found here.

**Employers are required to file partial claims on behalf of their employees whenever it is necessary to temporarily reduce work hours or there is no work available for a short period. This partial claim needs to be filed by the employer, not the employee. More information can be found here. 

Tax Relief:

Click here to see an announcement from the U.S. Treasury Department, Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and the U.S. Department of Labor (Labor) for small and midsize employers.  You can begin taking advantage of two new refundable payroll tax credits, designed to immediately and fully reimburse, dollar-for-dollar, for the cost of providing Coronavirus-related leave to their employees.

Additional information from the IRS can be found here.

Financing Sources

• Small Business Administration related to Disaster Loan Assistance:  It is encouraged that business owners fill out the application online.  However, we are hearing that the website may be slow or overloaded.  Keep trying.  I will update everyone if I can find other solutions.  If you are able to get to the online application, make sure to provide complete information.  If you do not, it will slow the process down or your application may be overlooked.  There is an SBA team that is available to answer questions at 800-659-2955 (800-877-8339 for the deaf and hard-of-hearing) or by sending an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..  
• Intuit Small Business Funding (for QuickBooks customers):  If you are a QuickBooks customer with personal and business credit history and revenue of at least $50,000 over the past 12 months, you may be eligible for a loan up to $100,000. Apply here.
• Square Capital Financing:  If you are a Square customer, Square Capital supports eligible businesses with loans between $500-$250,000. Log in to your Square Dashboard, or learn more here.
• Toast Capital Financing:  If you are a Toast customer, eligible restaurants can access capital without a credit score requirement via Toast Capital. Learn more here.
• Kabbage Line of Credit:  Kabbage provides small businesses with a simple online application that can be paid over 6, 12, or 18 months with no origination fees. If it makes sense for your business, you can explore applying to a line of credit up to $250,000 here.

Small Business Administration related to Disaster Loan Assistance:

It is encouraged that business owners fill out the application online.  However, we are hearing that the website may be slow or overloaded.  Keep trying.  I will update everyone if I can find other solutions.  If you are able to get to the online application, make sure to provide complete information.  If you do not, it will slow the process down or your application may be overlooked.

There is an SBA team that is available to answer questions at 800-659-2955 (800-877-8339 for the deaf and hard-of-hearing) or by sending an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Additional Resources:

There are a couple of free resources that can be utilized by business owners, especially in a time of crisis.

• Small Business Development Center (SBDC): Their focus during this unique and challenging time is helping small businesses with a tactical plan, cash flow issues, and connecting them with the resources that may be of help. They have three experienced business consultants on staff who have the experience to help small businesses during challenging times. Virtual appointments may be scheduled by calling 770-531-5681 or emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  resources are available at https://georgiasbdc.org.
• Our local SCORE representative Joe Ruf can be a virtual resource as well and can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

• Please contact Denise McKay, Economic Development Director for assistance or with any questions you may have at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

• Lake Chatuge Chamber of Commerce contains additional links and local business updates as they become available. https://chamber.golakechatuge.com/community/