The Small Business Quarantined Employee Grant (SBQE) is available to help small business owners recover wages paid to employees quarantining due to COVID-19 exposure. The grant, developed with CARES funds, targets businesses that cannot afford vacation or sick leave benefits for their staff.
During a recent Zoom meeting, Eric Olsen, the public information officer and grant administrator for the Utah Labor Commission, discussed the highlights of the program alongside local economic development officials.
The grant is designed to compensate owners of small businesses, defined as having between 2 and 50 employees, for wages paid to employees quarantining because of COVID-19 contraction or contact with an infected person. Employers who have paid out wages from October 1, 2020, through the present are eligible to apply.
Eric Olsen stated that the grant was created to provide people with the opportunity to stay home when sick and still receive pay, ensuring they are not penalized for doing the right thing.
To qualify, business owners must provide documentation, including verification from their local health department for each affected employee. The Labor Commission requires proof that the employee was on the payroll for two pay periods prior to the quarantine, as well as payroll records for the period of the quarantine.
Applications can be submitted through the Utah Labor Commission website. First-time applicants should note that requesting a login may take up to 48 hours, though those who have used GOED COVID relief grants may use their existing login information.
The meeting regarding the grant featured participation from Natalie Randall, San Juan County Economic Development and Visitors Services director, Pratt Redd of Blanding City Economic Development, and Meghan Mcfall, the USU Small Business Development Center Director.
