News
Coronavirus Government Response Update—Help Ensure Businesses Are Properly Cleaned & Disinfected
May 7, 2020
Welcome to the Coronavirus Government Response Update. This information is intended to keep ISSA members up to date on fast-moving government affairs related to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as other public policy issues important to the cleaning industry. Today’s update touches on ensuring businesses are properly cleaned and disinfected through the Clean Start: Back to Work Tax Credit, tariffs on disinfectants used to combat COVID-19, California giving workers compensation to essential employees infected with coronavirus, and more.
Take Action Now: Help Ensure Businesses Are Properly Cleaned and Disinfected
Momentum for the Clean Start: Back to Work Tax Credit continues to grow as several trade associations, members of Congress, and hundreds of ISSA members have already expressed their support. The proposal would incentivize businesses to properly clean and disinfect their facilities as stay-at-home restrictions are lifted, as well as help prevent further infections. Please take a moment to contact your federal elected officials using ISSA’s Action Center to request their support for the Clean Start: Back to Work Tax Credit as part of the next stimulus package. Your action now is critical to continuing to build support for this proposal.
Trump Administration Still Charging 25% Tariffs on Disinfectants Used To Combat COVID-19
President Donald Trump’s tariffs are crimping supply chains for chemicals used to manufacture disinfectants and cleaning products—items that are needed to combat COVID-19 and that will be in even higher demand as the economy reopens. In a letter sent last week to U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, the American Chemistry Council, an industry group, highlighted dozens of items that are subject to the Trump administration’s tariffs. The list sent to Lighthizer includes various chemical building blocks used to manufacture everything from soap and detergent to surface cleaners and bleach.
California to Give Workers Comp to All Essential Employees Infected with Coronavirus
California will make workers compensation benefits available to frontline essential workers who contracted COVID-19, according to Gov. Gavin Newsom. The state’s governor signed an executive order creating a time-limited rebuttable presumption to allow people who had to work outside of their homes during the statewide stay-at-home order and contracted the coronavirus access to the compensation benefits.
IRS Denies Deductions for Forgiven Paycheck Protection Loans
Small businesses that manage to get their Paycheck Protection Program loans forgiven may find themselves losing valuable tax breaks, according to new guidance from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Companies that qualify for loan forgiveness under legislation Congress approved won’t be able to deduct the wages or other business expenses they paid for using the loan, according to a recently published IRS notice.
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