[[FIRSTNAME]], You are receiving this e-newsletter because you are affiliated with a business or organization that is
an Eau Claire Chamber member.
If you are having issues viewing this email, please click here.

    March 31, 2020         The Weekly Newsletter of the Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce

Facebook

LinkedIn

Twitter

Eau Claire Chamber of Commerce: The Update
FRONT PAGE EDUCATION PROGRAMS & SERVICES ADVOCACY NETWORKING SMALL STREET
JOURNAL

 

 
Front Page  

Upcoming Events

 

Thursday, April 2, 2020: Chamber Town Hall Meeting For Businesses With Ron Kind

 

Read the current Small Street Journal for updates and announcements from Chamber members. Please submit your updates to Kaylynn Stahlbusch.

 

Awards & Recognition

Ribbon Cuttings & Groundbreakings

New Members

Newsletter Archives

Job Board

 

To post free, unlimited job opportunities, visit the Chamber's Job Board!

 

Member to Member Coupons New Member Referral Program Board of Directors Staff

YPCV

Helpful Links Related to COVID-19:

Business resource grapic

Keeping Up-to-Date on an Ever-Changing Situation

Everyone on your Chamber staff is working from home, but making it our top priority to keep you up to date and bring you the most current and accurate information to help you navigate today's challenges.

Critical Business Updates

  • Continually-updated page of must-know information for businesses, including the latest information on state and federal orders, other resources

Eau Claire Chamber COVID-19 Page

  • Information and links about local businesses, resources and more

Chippewa Valley Business Community COVID-19 Resource

  • A Facebook Group for businesses to post and share information

Eau Claire City-County Health Dept COVID-19 page

 

 

 

This town hall meeting will focus on federal action affecting businesses related to COVID-19 and feature a virtual question & answer session. Led by Dave Minor and Scott Rogers of the Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce, guests include 3rd District Congressman Ron Kind (D-La Crosse) and John Kirchner of the US Chamber of Commerce. The discussion will include business provisions in the new CARES Act and other federal response. If you have questions or concerns that you would like addressed, please include them in the comment box when you register or email them in advance to Chrystal Mills, mills@eauclairechamber.org 

To register for the town hall meeting, click here.

Registration closes at 11 a.m on Thursday, April 2.  An email address is required. A link to login to this session will be emailed to you at 3 p.m. that day.  ***Please note: If you do not receive the email containing the link to log in to the meeting, please be sure to check your spam folder.  

Click here for a link to the March 26, 2020 town hall meeting that featured Aaron White, City of Eau Claire, Luke Hanson, Eau Claire Area Economic Development Corp., and Heather Smith, Wisconsin Economic Development Corp.

 

 

 

What’s at Stake in the April 7 Election?: Voters Are Encouraged to Cast Absentee Ballots

On April 7, area voters go to the polls to elect members of city councils, school boards, county boards and other local offices. There is also a referendum for Chippewa Valley Technical College, a statewide race for the Wisconsin Supreme Court, a Constitutional Amendment related to victims' rights, and a Presidential Preference Primary. Often, spring elections suffer from low voter turnout, but the local offices elected have significant impact on our businesses and daily lives. 

With concerns about COVID-19 and social distancing, it's even more important to be sure your voice is heard, and there are alternatives to voting on Election Day that can help you do so. Click these links for details about:

Voting Information - including absentee by mail and in-person early voting

Candidate and Ballot Information - Questionnaires and other resources to help you cast an informed vote.

 

 

 

 

The Workforce Connector is a publication of Eau Claire Area Chamber Workforce Initiatives. The information provided is meant to be a resource outlining the Chamber's efforts to help navigate workforce challenges, highlight solutions and provide connections to area Employers.

To subscribe, simply click here to update your Chamber communication preferences. Select the “Workforce” box and click the “Save” button at the bottom of the page.

 

 

 
Education  

YLEC

Now Accepting YLEC Applications!

 

Accepting Applications
The Chamber is currently accepting applications for its Youth Leadership Eau Claire class. Do you know current sophomores from Altoona, Augusta, Fall Creek, Memorial, North or Regis high school who want to develop leadership skills and become more involved in the community? Encourage them to apply! Application deadline is April 5. More information can be found here on the Chamber's website!

Sponsors
The Eau Claire Chamber Education Foundation is seeking sponsors to support its Youth Leadership Eau Claire program. Each year, about 70 students apply for the class with enrollment of only 36. The program is made possible with $500 sponsorships for each student. Please consider becoming a sponsor and helping us develop our future community leaders. If your business would be interested in providing a $500 sponsorship for a student to participate in the program, visit our website or contact Casey Schumacher at (715) 858-0614.  Thanks for the consideration!

 

 

 
Programs & Services  

 Wage Survey

2020 Western & Central Wisconsin Wage Survey

The survey is distributed the week of March 16, due back by May 15, and is published in mid-July. We are proud to be covering employers from nine chambers of commerce including Chippewa Falls, Eau Claire, La Crosse, Marshfield, Menomonie, Portage County, Rice Lake, Wausau, and Wisconsin Rapids. Also involved are the local chapters of Society of Human Resource Management in the Chippewa Valley, La Crosse, Wausau and Winona. We need area employers to contribute their data in order to keep the wage survey viable and relevant; data is kept confidential. We have made it easy to participate, so please review the instructions and complete the forms. All documents for survey participation are on the Eau Claire Chamber's website.

There is a minimal cost to receive the report when it is available in mid-July, and chamber, CVSHRM, and Wipfli HR Forum memberships qualify businesses for discounted pricing.

If you have any questions, please contact Danielle Kummer  at (715) 858-0618.

 
 

 
Advocacy  

CARES Act Signed by the President; Includes Forgivable Loans to Small Businesses to Keep Workers Employed

President Trump on March 27 signed the sweeping $2 trillion relief bill, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, designed to mitigate the economic impact of COVID-19.

The bill allocates $350 billion to help small businesses keep workers employed amid the pandemic and economic downturn.  Known as the “Paycheck Protection Program,” the initiative provides 100% federally guaranteed loans to small businesses who maintain their payroll during this emergency.  Importantly, these loans may be forgiven if borrowers maintain their payrolls during the crisis or restore their payrolls afterward.

The US Chamber of Commerce has developed a Guide and Checklist to help small businesses understand and use this program.
Click here to access the Chamber’s Guide

The CARES Act also includes direct payments of $1200 to individuals, a corporate relief fund, an extension and increase in unemployment benefits (including help for self-employed individuals), tax incentives for businesses to keep people on the payroll, aid to the health care system, and funding for state and local governments. Click the link below for a summary of the full act:

Federal “CARES” Act Summary  - Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce 

 

 

 

Weekly “Business Advocate” e-Newsletter Now Available

Want to keep up with governmental issues and actions that impact your business? The Chamber’s Governmental Affairs staff now offers a weekly e-newsletter to Chamber members with updates related to local, state and national public policies.

The newsletter is part of the Chamber’s enhanced Business Advocacy Initiative made possible by our investors: Partner Level: Xcel Energy; Advocate Level: Miron Construction; and Supporter Level: Banbury Place/ Cigan Properties, Eau Claire Energy Cooperative and HSHS Sacred Heart & St. Joseph’s hospitals.

To subscribe, simply click here to update your Chamber communication preferences. Select the “Advocacy” box and click the “Save” button at the bottom of the page.

For more information, contact Scott Rogers, Governmental Affairs & Workforce Director.

 

 

 

If you do not wish to receive emails from the Eau Claire Chamber of Commerce, please update your communications from the Chamber by clicking on the following link: [[AFFILIATIONUPDATELINK]] or [[UNSUBSCRIBELINK]] to all emails.
Copyright 2020. Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce. All rights reserved.

101 N. Farwell St. Eau Claire, WI 54703
(715) 834-1204 or Email
Privacy Policy