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On May 7, 2020, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed Executive Order 2020-77 to extend Michigan’s Stay Home, Stay Safe order to May 28. The governor’s order will allow manufacturing workers, including those at Michigan’s Big 3 auto companies, to resume work on Monday, May 11 as part of her MI Safe Start Plan.

It’s hard to disagree that the business world has changed drastically and will likely never look the same again. Even after lock-downs and social distancing are over, it will be extremely difficult to just turn our computers and businesses back on and return to where we were before the pandemic occurred.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed Executive Order 2020-70 as part of her MI Safe Start plan. The executive order will allow the May 7 resumption of some types of work that present a very low risk of infection, including construction, real-estate activities, and work that is traditionally and primarily performed outdoors.

195 small businesses in West Michigan negatively impacted by Executive Orders due to the COVID-19 pandemic will be receiving grant support from the Michigan Small Business Relief Program.

On April 29, 2020, Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced a $130 million investment to make child care more affordable and accessible for Michigan families during the COVID-19 pandemic.

On April 29, 2020, Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced a series of initiatives to help Michigan workers and their families during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, including the "Futures for Frontliners” program to provide a tuition-free pathway to college or a technical certificate to essential workers who don’t have a college degree.

Now, more than ever, is a great time for leaders to reflect and reset. Consider how you lead, what kind of reputation you have and the legacy you will leave behind. Ask yourself, Would I be happy with myself as a boss? If the answer is no, what would you change?

The MIOSHA Workplace Improvement to Safety and Health (MIWISH) Grant Program awards qualifying employers a dollar-for-dollar match – up to $5,000 – to purchase safety and health-related equipment and equipment-related training. The goal of the program is to create a safer and healthier work environment and reduce the risk of injury and illness to workers in Michigan.

On April 24, 2020 Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed executive order 2020-59, extending her “Stay Home, Stay Safe” order through May 15. The new order will require people to wear homemade face coverings when they enter enclosed public spaces. It will also lift some restrictions on outdoor activities and allow some workers who perform previously suspended activities to go back to work.

The COVID-19 crisis poses a severe threat to both our local economy and business community. West Michigan is built on the backbone of entrepreneurship and small business, and the Rapid Response Economic Relief Fund is aimed at delivering short-term financial support to small businesses in need.