By Jesse Bontecou of Oregon Retailer of Cannabis Association (ORCA)

Dear ORCA Members and the Cannabis Industry at large,

We hope that you, your colleagues, your family, and your customers are all doing as well as possible in these chaotic times.  We’re doing our best to get by, just like all of you.

**We have been sending out coronavirus-specific update emails to our entire Newsletter list, rather than only to our members list, in order to provide value and offer our help to anyone who may need this vital information during this time of crisis**

One of our primary goals is to be of service to our members and the industry in general. To that end, in this update we have consolidated relevant information resources about the coronavirus and government programs to provide valuable reference tool.

Please note that we are not lawyers or doctors, but we always strive to provide folks with the best and most accurate information available.

 

Coronavirus Information:

Check out Sen. Wyden’s letter to the Senate Committee on Appropriations about giving cannabis businesses access to the federal SBA loan program (^^^ This is potentially a very big deal! But is only a long shot)

Governors Office and Legislative Task force:  The Governor’s office has created a great Information page that has consolidated information from all the relevant state agencies into one location – Book mark it. Also the legislature’s Joint task force has published its recommendations.

  1. Governor Brown’s Oregon Coronavirus Information & Resources page
  2. Governor’s Stay Home Save Lives order – Executive Order NO. 20-12 –
  3. What’s the best way to clean my workplace?
  4. Special Joint Committee on Coronavirus Response – Letter of Recommendations


OLCC Resources:
 The OLCC has a coronavirus specific page on their website. It covers both Alcohol and Cannabis, which is at the bottom of the page.  Please be sure you review the OHA Guidance as you are required to comply by the Governor’s order. If you have questions or ideas for the OLCC please share them with us at – Staff@oregoncannabisretaierls.com.

  1. OLCC’s COVID-19 Business Continuity Information
  2. OHA Guidance – Social Distancing: Keep Your Distance to Prevent COVID-19
  3. OLCC Temporary Rules FAQs for Curbside pick up and OMMP daily purchase limits.
  4. General OLCC Coronavirus FAQs (Covers a series of questions OLCC has been getting form the industry)
  5. Temporary Rules – 845-025-2800 – Retailer Privileges; Prohibitions
  6. Temporary Rules – 845-025-0885 – On-Site Delivery of Marijuana by Retailer


Oregon Health Administration (OHA): 

  1. Oregon Health Authority – COVID-19 Updates
  2. COVID-19: Frequently Asked Questions
  3. OHA Guidance – Social Distancing: Keep Your Distance to Prevent COVID-19

Center for Disease Control (CDC): Sanitation Best practices for the Work place: Please work with your staff to promote and reinforce all the recommended best practices for sanitation and disinfection in the work place.

  1. CDC Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19)
  2. Resources for Businesses and Employers
  3. Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19
  4. CDC Keeping the workplace safe

The Oregon Advocates of Labor and Industries (BOLI): Has a division called Technical Assistance (TA) for Employers and it is an amazing resource. It provides free advice to employers about all labor law and civil rights law in the state, and most importantly it has a strict firewall between itself and the enforcement divisions. Employers therefore can get free advice without fear of self reporting.

If you have any questions about sick time or any type of employee leave please do not hesitate to call or email them – 971-673-0824 or bolita@boli.state.or.us.

  1. Oregon Advocates of Labor and Industries, Technical Assistance for Employers
  2. Oregon BOLI COVID-10/Coronavirus in Oregon: Facts about Sick Time –
  3. Oregon BOLI Sick Time Law
  4. Oregon BOLI Oregon Family Leave Act (OFLA)

Employment Department: 

  1. COVID-19 Related Business Layoffs, Closures, and Unemployment Insurance Benefits
  2. COVID-19 Workplace Scenarios and Available Sick Leave/Unemployment Benefits
  3. Temporary Rules for Unemployment Insurance Benefits Flexibility
  4. Work Share Oregon Helps an employer reduces the hours of work for a group of workers instead of terminating staff.
  5. Oregon Unemployment Insurance Benefits FAQS 

Oregon Department of Revenue:

  1. Department of Revenue offices switching to appointment only
  2. Marijuana tax program
  3. COVID-19 tax relief options (Filling extension to July 15)
  4. Filing Extensions FAQs 

Coronavirus Tracking Resources:

  1. Oregon Health Authority – Oregon Coronavirus COVID-19 Cases (scroll to the bottom)
  2. Johns Hopkins University Coronavirus COVID-19 Global Cases by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE)
  3. Washington Post – Mapping the spread of the coronavirus in the U.S. and worldwide
  4. CDC – Coronavirus Cases in the US

Federal Programs (Cannabis businesses wont qualify for these – We are working on it)

  1. The Small Business Owner’s Guide to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES Act).