April 2020

Coronavirus Update:

New Grocery Store & Farmer's Market Guidelines

Dear Neighbors,

Last night, Mayor Bowser issued a [1]Mayoral Order that implements new
social distancing protocols for grocery stores, convenience stores,
farmer's markets, and shoppers. Residents will now be required to wear a
mask or mouth covering and maintain at least a 6 foot distance from other
shoppers while at the supermarket. Food retailers will limit the number of
customers shopping at a time and will mark safe waiting distances at
check-out lines and any line that may form outside of the store. Grocers
may also mark some aisles one-way or close certain check-out counters to
reduce shopper congestion. They will also be required to provide the public
with disinfecting wipes and/or hand sanitizer at every entrance and exit.

Farmer's markets must now obtain a waiver wherein they detail how they will
meet the new social distancing requirements for their vendors and
customers. These new requirements include the elimination of any on-site
food preparation, pre-bagging items so they may be purchased in a "grab and
go" fashion, and prohibiting customers from touching items before purchase.
Social distancing requirements between shoppers also applies. I'd like to
note that it is important for residents to heed the new requirements of
this order, not only for your own protection, but to demonstrate that we
are able to safely sustain our local farmers markets during the public
health emergency. The Mayor is, appropriately, very serious about these
rules and will close those markets that are not operating safely. The
initial waivers are being issued for one week only to allow the Executive
to determine if the rules are being followed. So, if you are going to a
local farmer's market to shop or drop off compost, please do so safely.

Notably absent from this order is the requirement for specific protections
that I think are necessary to best support our essential grocery store and
supermarket employees. As I mentioned in my newsletter on Tuesday, I'd like
to see these employees provided with adequate personal protective equipment
(PPE) and free coronavirus (COVID-19) testing. These new guidelines do have
some supports for employees, such as the installation of plexiglass
dividers for cashiers and new cleaning protocols, but these are not
sufficient protections for those who work at great risk of coronavirus
exposure in order to keep our grocery stores open and operating. I'm very
keen to see that our essential workers are properly protected and supported
during this emergency, and I'll continue to push for these benefits.

To read the Mayoral Order in full, please see: [2]Mayor's Order 2020-058.

Regards,

Mary

Please see [3]coronavirus.dc.gov for the latest District updates &
resources on COVID-19

Violations of the Mayor's Order should be reported to [4]311

Make your Own Mask

From the New York Times - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC) has recommended that all Americans, healthy and sick, wear basic
cloth masks in public — a result of concerns that as many as 25 percent of
people infected with the new coronavirus may not show symptoms.

According to the [5]CDC, cloth masks should:
* Fit snugly but comfortably against the side of the face
* Be secured with ties or ear loops
* Include multiple layers of fabric
* Allow for breathing without restriction
* Be able to be laundered and machine dried without damage or change to
shape

The New York Times has put together the following guide on how to make a
face mask at home: [6]How to Make a Face Mask: A sewing pattern for a
fabric face mask made from common household materials.

$5 Million in Grant Funding for Undocumented Workers

From The Washington Post - Events DC, which oversees the District’s
convention center, tourism marketing and sports, said the money will be
available before the end of April to expedite the recovery process for
District residents unable to work amid a shutdown meant to slow the spread
of the deadly coronavirus.

The $15 million package will be split into several parts: $5 million for
restaurant recovery efforts; $5 million to help hotels and those who work
in them; and $5 million for undocumented immigrants who may be ineligible
for unemployment benefits and other forms of government assistance.

Read the full story here: [7]Events DC will give $15 million in covid-19
relief to hospitality workers, undocumented immigrants.

A Quick Note on Unemployment Insurance

Unemployment Insurance Reminders - To date, the District has received
56,604 unemployment insurance (UI) claims and over 22,000 payments have
already been made, totaling approximately $8.7 million in payments. Here
are some quick reminders on the program:
1. Who is eligible: You are eligible for unemployment insurance if you
lost your job, had a reduction in hours but are still working, if you are a
tipped worker, if you’re a 1099 worker, or a sole proprietor with no
employees.
2. Benefit Extension: UI benefits have been extended from 26 to 39 weeks.
3. When applicants will receive their federal UI payment: The additional
$600 payments from the federal government are expected to begin on April
21st and will be retroactive. For those 1099 employees, those payments are
expected to begin on April 28th.

For more UI resources, please see:
[8][link removed]

Download the Tenleytown Main Street App!

The Tenleytown Main Street has developed an app to help residents stay
up-to-date on the latest Tenleytown business and restaurant news.

The app makes it easier for customers and businesses to connect through the
searchable directory of local business updates, store hours, openings and
closings, and special offers.

During the COVID-19 public health emergency, this app can serve as a great
resource for residents in search of pantry items, curbside pickup,
no-contact delivery, family meals, wine delivery, online yoga or meditation
classes, and all the services and goods that the Tenleytown business
community has to offer.

The app is FREE and available for download from the [9]App Store or on
[10]Google Play.

Seeking Fair Relief from Congress

Additional Outreach - Today, the Council sent an additional letter to House
and Senate leadership to reiterate the demand that the District be provided
with appropriate COVID-19 relief funding under the Federal Coronavirus Aid,
Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Representative Jamie Raskin
(D-MD) and 96 of his U.S. House of Representative colleagues also released
a letter today calling for the House to treat the District as a state for
federal relief funding purposes. To read his letter to House leadership,
please see: [11]April 9th Letter to the Speaker and Minority Leader.

Federal Resources Available for District Residents - While the District
was allocated insufficient state funding in the CARES Act, there are
federal resources available for District residents in need.

Please see the following websites, FAQ pages, and resources shared by
Congresswoman Norton below:
* For information on the CARES Act (the federal stimulus bill), including
resources on filing for unemployment, please visit: [12]House of
Representatives Ways and Means Committee
* For detailed information on the economic impact payment (stimulus
checks), please visit: [13]IRS
* For assistance with small businesses loans, please visit: [14]SBA
* Nonprofits and small businesses, please visit the [15]House Committee
on Small Business
* For more on emergency paid leave, please visit: [16]Department of Labor
* For details on temporary relief on student loans, please
visit: [17]Federal Student Aid

Free COVID-19 Testing Available

The District is offering free, appointment-required COVID-19 testing for
residents who receive a referral from a primary care provider. If you do
not have a primary care provider and have experienced symptoms like fever,
cough, shortness of breath and would like to be tested, please call the
hotline number listed below, Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.

Know Your Rights:

Unemployment Assistance, Paid Sick Leave, & Family and Medical Leave

The Washington Lawyers’ Committee Workers’ Rights Clinic is operating
remotely to help workers in need during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Any worker with an employment-related matter (including unpaid wages,
discrimination or sexual harassment, family and medical leave act
violations, sick leave violations, etc.) during the public health emergency
are encouraged to contact the Workers’ Rights Clinic.

To contact the clinic or schedule a telephone legal intake appointment,
please call (202) 319-1000 x 118 or email [18][email protected].

Update: DPW Operations and Services

In response to the public health emergency, the Department of Public Works
(DPW) has announced a number of operational and service changes through
April 24th.

Solid Waste Management - While trash and recycling collection will continue
as scheduled, the following services have been suspended or delayed:
* Residential mowing continues, but may be delayed
* Residential street sweeping is suspended
* Document shredding is suspended (residents are encouraged to place
non-sensitive documents directly in recycle bins without using plastic
bags)
* All resident solid waste drop-offs, including hazardous waste and
e-cycling, are suspended
* Resident mulch pick-up is suspended

Parking Enforcement - While ticketing for safety violations (e.g., blocking
a fire hydrant) will continue, ticketing for the following has been
suspended:
* Emergency no parking violations (vehicles will be relocated without
charge and will not be ticketed)
* Expired district license plates and inspection stickers
* Expired residential parking permits
* Expired meters
* Vehicle booting and towing

Our Office is Open!

Connect with our staff - While Councilmember Cheh's physical office is
closed during the public health emergency, she and her staff are
teleworking and will remain accessible for residents.

You may continue to [19]email the office directly or reach us via phone
through our main line at (202) 724-8062 with legislative ideas, budget
requests, and constituent services requests.

[20]Facebook [21]Twitter

FOLLOW MARY

References

1. [link removed] 2020-58 Social Distancing Protocols Required for Food Sellers and Req....pdf
2. [link removed] 2020-58 Social Distancing Protocols Required for Food Sellers and Req....pdf
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11. [link removed] COVID-19 funding letter to House Leadership (4-9-20).pdf
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Mary Cheh
Mary Cheh Ward 3
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue NWSuite 108
Washington, DC 20004
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