AIFD® National President Addressing COVID-19
3.23.2020
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Updates
By: Tarter, Krinsky & Drogan LLP
Under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), the Small Business Administration (SBA) is tasked with administering the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), the loan program intended to allow employers to continue to pay their employees and assist with certain other expenses resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.
U.S. Department Of Labor Publishes Guidance Explaining Paid Sick Leave And Expanded Family and Medical Leave Under The Families First Coronavirus Response Act
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) announced its first round of published guidance to provide information to employees and employers about how each will be able to take advantage of the protections and relief offered by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) when it takes effect on April 1, 2020.
The guidance announced today is just the first round of information and compliance assistance to come from WHD. A workplace poster required for most employers will be published later this week, along with additional fact sheets and more Q&A.
WHD provides additional information on common issues employers and employees face when responding to COVID-19, and its effects on wages and hours worked under the Fair Labor Standards Act and job-protected leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act at https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/pandemic.
For more information about the laws enforced by the WHD, call 866-4US-WAGE, or visit https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd.
For further information about COVID-19, please visit the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Symposium Updates
4.6.2020
It is with deep sadness and heavy hearts that we announce the cancellation of this year’s AIFD® National Symposium, “Vision,” in Chicago (due to take place July 2-7).
We know that this will come as an enormous disappointment to those who view Symposium as a time to participate in the industry’s most extraordinary artistic education and spend time with their floral family. We have made this decision based on the facts as we know them today and, importantly for the whole AIFD® family, based on the responsibility and genuine care we feel for all our members and the global floral community. This is not a decision that we have taken lightly and there are several overriding concerns that have caused us to make this decision at this time.
Our primary concern is always the safety and health of our attendees, and with so much uncertainty in the current environment, we just did not feel right putting our attendees at any kind of risk. Waiting until the last minute to assess the environment would not be appropriate or possible given the tremendous amount of logistics that go into an event of this size. Pair this with the fact that we are very aware that the floral industry is going through a challenging time, and we want to be sensitive to our attendees, industry and education partners and exhibitors, designers, and hard-working volunteers – we cannot in good conscious hold an event of this magnitude when we know so many are struggling to maintain normalcy.
Despite the disappointment we know you will feel, we want you to know that we are fully committed to serving this industry that we love. We are already working hard in the background to deliver value and service above and beyond the Symposium you were looking forward to.
We intend to keep morale high and, together with leaders around the world, focus on collective efforts to rebuild confidence and advocate for the importance of flowers.
Once again, we thank the whole industry for the support that has been shown to us and we are here to support others in the industry as we all work through this difficult time.
SAF Webinars and Resources
Operational tools and guidance:
- Understanding COVID-19 Stimulus Package: webinar and article
- Sourcing Fresh Product: webinar and article
- The Economic Impact of COVID-19: webinar and article
- HR Strategies for Navigating COVID-19: webinar and article
- Financial Planning: Part 1 and Part 2
Tools to drive demand:
- Social media posts and graphics
- Everyday and event sales building ideas from floral industry peers
Help seeking exemptions from closures
Helping businesses get exemptions for making contact-free delivery is a priority for SAF in the coming weeks. Based on the success stories of businesses that have secured exemptions, here are some best practices to follow if you are seeking an exemption:
1. Review your state/municipality rule directly. Do not rely on news reports alone. Instead, go directly to the issuing body and read the executive order (check out SAF’s State Resources). Identify the state website/mechanism used to request a waiver for the services you want to provide (e.g., curbside pick-up or contact-free delivery).
2. Make your case. Key factors businesses have cited in applying for waivers and exemptions include:
- Emphasize safety. For example: Florists, like other businesses allowed to operate, can have little to no physical interaction with the public by taking phone and internet orders and make “non-touch” deliveries and non-contact curbside pickup.
- Point to the emotional impact of flowers. In this time of social distancing, flowers and plants offer a way for people to connect safely. They are scientifically proven to reduce stress, enhance feelings of connection and provide a moment of calm. Leverage SAF research to help make your case.
- Make the case for fairness. For example: We have much in common with restaurants, online businesses and delivery services, which are allowed to make, sell and delivery and provide curbside pickups of their products – Pizza Hut, UPS, FedEx and Amazon are examples.
3. Find partners. Enlist other industry colleagues to send letters to elected officials. Simply circulate a letter for other businesses to put on their own letterhead and send to the governor or local elected official. Wholesalers and other suppliers are especially well positioned to enlist retailers to send letters.
4. Identify Advocates. Leverage partnerships you already have with lawmakers and local officials in city government — and ask colleagues and friends for help.
We hope these tips and resources help – keep visiting safnow.org and our social media channels daily, as we continue to add to the resources. And remember: we’re here for you all day long via LiveChat, ready to answer your questions.
Floral Daily Resources
“Together we are stronger.” It seems to be the motto of the floral industry these days because they are all in this together. All over the world, flower business are affected and initiatives – on a small and larger scale – are being taken to support the industry.
AMERICAN FLORAL ENDOWMENT (AFE) RESOURCES
Whether talking with an old friend or complete stranger, you’ll likely hear a story about how someone was exposed to Corona Virus (COVID-19) or how the virus is impacting their life–even if only indirectly.
As the media continues coverage of the virus, a sense of fear and uncertainty has gripped many and caused major events–from cultural to political to sporting events–to be cancelled.
As a result, florists around the globe are faced with event cancellations, refund requests, and the possibility of closing their doors for good.
Unlike a major weather disaster, where it happens and a path forward is determined relatively quickly, the questions of if/when normalcy will be possible loom overhead for you, your employees and your clients for weeks–or even months–on end.
To help you navigate this time, here are five tips to help you handle the effects of COVID-19 on your business.
FROM AIFD® PARTNER CURATE
5 TIPS TO HELP FLORISTS HANDLE THE EFFECTS OF COVID-19
Whether talking with an old friend or complete stranger, you’ll likely hear a story about how someone was exposed to Corona Virus (COVID-19) or how the virus is impacting their life–even if only indirectly.
As the media continues coverage of the virus, a sense of fear and uncertainty has gripped many and caused major events–from cultural to political to sporting events–to be cancelled.
As a result, florists around the globe are faced with event cancellations, refund requests, and the possibility of closing their doors for good.
Unlike a major weather disaster, where it happens and a path forward is determined relatively quickly, the questions of if/when normalcy will be possible loom overhead for you, your employees and your clients for weeks–or even months–on end.
To help you navigate this time, here are five tips to help you handle the effects of COVID-19 on your business.
Help us help you! Take our quick survey.
We want to know what we can do to support you in this time. The best way to do that is to simply ask how you’re doing and what you need. If you haven’t already, please take a few minutes to respond to our COVID Survey so we can have a better understanding of how we can help you.
FROM INTERNATIONAL FLORICULTURE EXPO
The events surrounding the recent COVID-19 pandemic have caused much fear, panic and uncertainty in America and around the world.
It is easy to get caught up in the hysteria of the 24-hour news cycle, with “breaking news” flashes of closures of major events, but at this seemingly very dark time, I believe we are embarking on a great opportunity for the flower business.
Public events of all sorts have been cancelled, (international) air travel has virtually come to a halt, restaurants are nearly deserted, but the one place that people are resorting to, is the safe surrounding of the home. The prospect of people spending more time at home in the coming weeks is precisely where we, as a floral industry can help play an important role.
Flowers are the unifying symbol of joy, beauty, cheerfulness and healing. Flowers have a positive effect on overall health, they are a mood booster, and a stress reducer. Flowers have the capability to fulfill a deep yearning for peace and joy in the hearts and souls of the consumer particularly at this time.
Rather than retreating, I ask everyone in the floral industry to turn this crisis into a defining moment of permanently changing the paradigm of floral purchasing behavior.
Historically USA floral consumption has been is characterized as holiday centric, with Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day as peak flower consumption periods.
A Rutgers University study conducted several years ago, indicated that flowers bring happiness. Emphasizing the intrinsic value of flowers in the home as an everyday gift, or for self-use, will help provide joy, brightness, hope and even healing. Flowers will help counteract the negative messages and darkness that is prevalent at this very moment. Flowers will assuage troubled minds and bring peace to hearts and souls in these times of anxiety and fear.
You may wonder what can be done to help advance an industry wide paradigm shift: here are some ideas that can be implemented:
- Use of In-Store Communication about the transforming power of flowers. Educational material is available which you can immediately download and begin to use to communicate the health benefits of flowers with your staff and customers.
- Capitalize on the reach of Social Media to be promoting the (health) benefits of flowers across all social media channels.
