COVID-19 FAQ’s

COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions for Employers

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Essential Businesses

Is my business essential?
When Governor Sununu issued Emergency Order 17 on March 26th requiring closure of non-essential businesses and requiring people to stay at home, he also included Exhibit A, which listed essential businesses that were not required to close. If your business is not specifically mentioned in Exhibit A, but you still think you are essential, you can request a designation as an essential business from the Department of Business and Economic Affairs by emailing essential@nheconomy.com with basic contact information and a brief justification of why your business should be considered essential.

How do I keep my essential business operating/prepared for COVID-19?
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) released Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19. Some of the important measures that businesses can take are promoting frequent and thorough hand washing, requiring employees to remain at least six feet apart at all times, limiting meetings to fewer than 10 people, encouraging employees to work from home if they are able to, and implementing extensive sick day policies.

Do I need proof that my business is essential? Do I need proof that I work for an essential business?
New Hampshire does not require any proof that a business is essential or that someone works for an essential business.

CARES Act

Paycheck Protection Program

What is the Paycheck Protection Program?
The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) established in the CARES Act is a loan for small businesses to help keep their workers on payroll during the COVID-19 crisis. It matures in two years and has an interest rate of 1% but offers complete loan forgiveness if the money is used to keep employees on payroll for the eight weeks following disbursement of the loan. Please visit the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program website for more information.

Is the Paycheck Protection Program still available?
Additional funding has been approved by the federal government and the U.S. Small Business Administration will continue accepting Paycheck Protection Program applications as of Monday, April 27, 2020 at 10:30 a.m. EDT. The SBA will first resume processing applications that were already in the queue. Please visit the SBA’s Paycheck Protection Program website for more information.

Can the money be used for things other than payroll?
Yes, up to 25% of the loan may be used for rent, mortgage interest, or utilities. Please visit the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program website for more information.

Who qualifies for the Paycheck Protection Program?
Any small business that meets the U.S. Small Business Administration’s size standards, sole proprietors, independent contractors, self-employed persons, and some other less common situations. Please visit the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program website for more information.

How can I ensure the loan will be forgiven?
The loan will be forgiven if during the 8-week period of the loan it is spent primarily on payroll costs with no more than 25% of the loan spent on mortgage interest, rent, utilities; the business maintains or quickly rehires employees; and the business maintains salary levels. If the business reduces the number of employees or wages paid to employees, the amount of forgiveness will be reduced. Please visit the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program website for more information.

Employee Retention Credit

What is the Employee Retention Credit?
The Employee Retention Credit established in the CARES Act is a tax credit designed to help businesses to keep employees on payroll during the COVID-19 crisis. The tax credit is refundable and is 50% of up to $10,000 in wages paid by an eligible employer. Please see the Internal Revenue Service’s webpage on the Employee Retention Credit.

Who qualifies for the Employee Retention Credit?
All employers, including tax-exempt organizations, that have been fully or partially suspended by a governmental body due to COVID-19 or their gross receipts are below 50% of the comparable quarter in 2019. However, small businesses who take small business loans are not eligible. Please see the Internal Revenue Service’s webpage on the Employee Retention Credit.

Can I combine the Paycheck Protection Program with the Employee Retention Credit?
No, taking a loan from the Paycheck Protection Program will make you ineligible to receive the Employee Retention Credit. Please see the Internal Revenue Service’s webpage on the Employee Retention Credit.

Economic Injury Disaster Loan Emergency Advance

What is the Economic Injury Disaster Loan emergency advance?
The Economic Injury Disaster Loan emergency advance is a loan advance up to $10,000 on EIDL’s. The advance will not have to be repaid and funds are available within days of a successful application. Please visit the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan Emergency Advance website for more information.

Who qualifies for the Economic Injury Disaster Loan emergency advance?
Any small business with less than 500 employees, private non-profit organizations or 501(c)(19) veterans organizations affected by COVID-19. Please visit the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan Emergency Advance website for more information.

Is the Economic Injury Disaster Loan still available?
Additional funding has been approved by the federal government and the U.S. Small Business Administration will continue accepting Economic Injury Disaster Loans applications as of Monday, April 27, 2020 at 10:30 a.m. EDT. The SBA will first resume processing applications that were already in the queue. Please visit the SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan Emergency Advance website for more information.

Taxes

When are business taxes due?
New Hampshire business taxes, including the Business Profits Tax (BPT), Business Enterprise Tax (BET), and Interest and Dividends Tax (I&D), have been delayed until June 15, 2020 for qualifying taxpayers. A qualifying taxpayer is a Business Tax taxpayer who owed $50,000 or less or I&D taxpayers who owed $10,000 or less on their 2018 taxes. Please see the Technical Information Release from the NH Department of Revenue Administration for more information.

When do I need to file and pay my federal business taxes?
The deadline to file and pay federal income tax has been extended to July 15, 2020. This applies to individuals and businesses. For more information, please visit the Internal Revenue Service’s webpage for Coronavirus Tax Relief for Businesses and Tax-Exempt Entities.