The COVID recession has had an outsized impact on women, particularly minority women, who are more likely to work in areas such as retail and restaurants that were hard hit by the downturn in the economy. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), more women than men in the U.S. have lost their jobs because the industries they tend to work in have been impacted more by the effects of the pandemic.
âSecond, the coronavirus shutdowns have closed schools and daycare centers around the country, keeping kids at home and making it even harder for parents (especially mothers who tend to provide the majority of childcare) to keep working,â said a BLS report The Impact of COVID-19 on Gender Equality. âChildcare poses an additional challenge to working mothers during the pandemic.â
[co-author: Taylor Daly]
On Wednesday, March 10, the House passed the Senate-approved version of H.R. 1319, the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, on a 220-211 vote (title-by-title summary available here). No Republicans supported the bill, and one Democrat, Rep. Jared Golden (D-ME), opposed the bill. Rep. Kurt Schrader (D-OR), who previously voted against the bill, voted to support the measure, which aims to accelerate activities to address the virus and provide additional economic support to individuals, state and local governments, and small businesses. The bill provides for a total of $1.88 trillion in federal investments.
Below, please find a summary of key provisions in the package.
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In the early morning hours of Saturday, February 27, the U.S. House of Representatives passed President Biden’s $1.9 trillion latest COVID-19 stimulus bill, containing a slew of employment-related initiatives that could have long-term impacts on American workplaces. Next up for the legislation known as the American Rescue Plan: the U.S. Senate, which is aiming to pass some version of the measure before March 14 – the date that a portion of the unemployment benefits from the last pandemic relief bill expire. What do employers need to know about this legislative proposal, which is inching ever-closer to passage?
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The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), originally part of the March 27, 2020, CARES Act, has undergone several changes since its inception, including June’s PPP Flexibility Act, a myriad of Interim Final Rules and other guidance issued by the Small Business Administration (SBA). On December 27, 2020, a new stimulus bill (the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021) was signed into law, comprehensively changing the PPP and associated small-business provisions of the CARES Act.
Tax treatment of PPP loans
The new stimulus bill provides businesses with additional relief by clarifying that deductions are allowed for otherwise deductible expenses paid with the proceeds of a PPP loan that is subsequently forgiven. Additionally, the forgiven portion of a PPP loan or Second Draw Loan (discussed below) shall not be included in the gross income of the borrower, no tax attribute shall be reduced, and no basis increase shall be d