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The Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce announces the following community updates:
Employee COVID-19 Quarantine & Returning to Work
The Chamber has received a Memo To Businesses and Employers from Kelsey Dickman with the Granville-Vance Public Health Department (here is the link). The memo gives some updates for you to be aware of as a local employer or HR manager concerning employee quarantine and isolation for COVID-19 cases in the workplace. Dickman indicated that the Granville-Vance Public Health Department website has also been updated with this information: https://gvph.org/
Summary Notes – One change to note is criteria for release from isolation has been updated to the following: isolation can generally be discontinued 10 days after symptom onset and resolution of fever for at least 24 hours (reduced from 72 hours), without the use of fever-reducing medications, and with the improvement of other symptoms.
Additionally, GVPH would like to continue to emphasize that employers should not require a COVID-19 test result or a healthcare provider’s note for employees who are sick to validate their illness, qualify for sick leave, or to return to work. A test-based strategy (i.e. requiring negative tests) is no longer recommended to discontinue isolation, except in very specific circumstances in consultation with infectious diseases experts, per the CDC guidance regarding duration of isolation. Therefore, providers will no longer be able to offer testing to return to work.
If you have any questions about the memo information provided here or about public health-related communications needs, please contact Kelsey Dickman at (252) 492-7915 ext. 236 or email kdickman@gvdhd.org.
Announcement of New Industry
The Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce is excited to welcome a new manufacturing industry and new employment opportunities to Vance County. An announcement was made this week by Governor Cooper, NC Dept of Commerce and our local EDC office that Select Products Holdings will be coming to Vance County – utilizing the space in the former Staples Distribution building, across from Vance-Granville Community College.
Select Products offers high-quality, affordable paper products ranging from facial and bath tissue to paper towels and napkins.
Counterfeit Money Discovered
Counterfeit $5 bills were recently discovered by a downtown Henderson business. All businesses (especially those in retail and service) should be aware of this situation.
Job Retention Grant (JRG) Program
The H-V Chamber received word from the NC Dept of Commerce that a new grant program for businesses and non-profits has been announced. If you are a business owner/manager or a non-profit organization manager and you have experienced interruption due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, this new Job Retention Grant (JRG) Program may be a valuable resource for you.
The NC Dept of Commerce has posted the application and guidance, including a FAQ, for businesses. The deadline for applications is September 1, 2020, so you will need to respond right away. Read the eligibility carefully!
The website is https://www.nccommerce.com/grants-incentives/disaster-recovery/job-retention-grant-jrg. It should provide you the necessary information, as well as the application, application guidance and an FAQ section.
For additional information contact Bruce Naegelen, Community Economic Development Planner with the NC Dept of Commerce, by telephone at (252) 822-1859 or by email at bruce.naegelen@nccommerce.com.
