NASHVILLE, TN (WLAF) – Today, Governor Bill Lee provided an update on Tennessee’s efforts regarding COVID-19 relief.

Gov. Lee’s daily press conferences can be viewed live this week Monday through Thursday at 3 p.m. CDT here. Gov. Lee has also established a website specific to COVID-19 updates which can be found here.

Administration Actions

Unemployment Relief/Unemployment for Self-Employed

COVID-19 has caused record spikes in unemployment with the number of initial claims spiking to more than 250,000 in the last three-week period.

In March, at the onset of the pandemic, Gov. Lee directed the Department of Labor and Workforce Development to conduct the following actions to support Tennesseans facing unemployment due to COVID-19, among others:

  • Extend unemployment benefits to those who are quarantined by a physician for COVID-19
  • Suspend certain regulations to speed up payment time

As the rate of unemployment claims escalates, the Department of Labor and Workforce Development is projected to pay more than 100,000 claims this week. The department is employing additional resources to make this system run more smoothly.

With the passage of the CARES Act, Congress has made more funding available and greater flexibility for Tennesseans during the pandemic. Certain CARES Act provisions are on track to be implemented as early as next week.

Tennessee is also working closely with the federal government to ensure Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation for the self-employed or those who file 1099 forms is available as quickly as possible.

Tennesseans out of work can apply for unemployment benefits at www.Jobs4TN.gov.

Paycheck Protection Program and Support for Small Business

The Paycheck Protection Program is a loan designed to provide a direct incentive for small businesses to keep their workers on the payroll. The Small Business Administration will forgive loans if all employees are kept on the payroll for eight weeks and the money is used for payroll, rent, mortgage interest, or utilities.

The Program authorized $350 billion in fully forgivable loans to help small businesses maintain payrolls during the coronavirus pandemic. The program went live on April 2, 2020 and is being run through local financial institutions. Additional information can be found here.

Current Department of Health Testing Results (as of 2 p.m. 4/7)

Confirmed Cases

Hospitalizations

Fatalities

  Recovered

Total Tests

4,138

408

72

  466

52,874

For more information on COVID-19 in Tennessee, please visit the Tennessee Department of Health’s website here. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 04/07/2020-6:30PM)

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