In an effort to keep you informed of developments related to COVID-19, the City of Pasadena offers the following information to the Pasadena business community. Our goal is to disseminate accurate public health information, offer recommendations to prepare for and slow the spread of the virus, and provide links to resources for additional information. Please disseminate this information with your businesses, community partners, etc.
Your Social Distancing Protocol Questions Answered Here on Pasadena's Newest Health Order
The City of Pasadena issued a new Health Order on April 11th, with specific requirements for essential businesses. The Pasadena Public Health Department has developed a list of Frequently Asked Questions and it is now published on the City's COVID-19 Information for Business webpage. If you are an essential business, you must comply with the new order. For more information and to view the FAQ's, click here.
What Does Reopening A Restaurant Look Like After the Order has Lifted?
Many restaurants are asking what reopening will look like in Pasadena after the order has lifted. While there is no date certain for lifting the order, the Pasadena Public Health Department has indicated that food facilities that have temporarily closed must contact the Environmental Health Office at (626) 744-6004 for approval once the stay-at-home orders are lifted. In most instances, approvals to reopen will be granted over the phone. Prior to calling, operators should conduct a self-inspection to verify the following:
- Utilities are on and all equipment is working properly
- Water heater is adjusted to produce hot water of 120F or greater at the ware washing sink
- All refrigeration units are equipped with working and accurate thermometers
- The facility is vermin-free and has recently been treated by a licensed pest control company
- In some instances, an inspection will be required prior to reopening. This will occur of the facility changed ownership while closed, if the menu changed, or if equipment was added, removed, or replaced.
Top 3 Things Business Owners Can Do Now
With news and information churning out on the daily, here are 3 things that business owners can do now to keep the lights on. For more information, click here..
Got Questions About COVID-19 Relief Options?
The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) hosts a daily webinar at 3:00 pm with a Q&A on the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) and the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Business owners must register once in order to participate on the calls. To register, please go here: https://smallbizla.org/covid19/
If you missed last week’s webinar for Pasadena businesses on the CARES Act, you can view an encore recording of the webinar here, as well as access a copy of the SBDC presentation deck here.
Resources for Employees Impacted by COVID-19
The Foothill Workforce Development Board (FWDB) hosted a webinar for Pasadena workers impacted by COVID-19. Employees who have have been laid off and have questions about unemployment and health insurance or financial and job services, should watch a recording of last week's webinar.
If you missed last week’s webinar, you can view an encore recording of the webinar here, as well as a copy of the FWDB presentation deck here.
Virtual Marketing Opportunity for Pasadena Businesses - Over 3k Pageviews
Pasadena businesses with free engaging content are encouraged to take advantage of a marketing opportunity to include your business in the "Connect Pasadena" directory of virtual content. Since it's launch, the directory has been featured on NPR, NBC Los Angeles, and Pasadena Now.
The online directory can be found at https://www.visitpasadena.com/virtual-activities/. “Connect Pasadena” is intended to provide Pasadenans with a variety of content to keep them active, entertained and enlightened while safe at home, as the community continues to practice safe social distancing during COVID-19.
To submit virtual content for inclusion visit http://www.cityofpasadena.net/virtual-connect. Content must meet certain criteria.
Pasadena Transit Schedule Change & Other News for Travel to Work
In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, Pasadena Transit and Dial-A-Ride have taken a number of steps to protect you and your loved ones. In line with the Safer at Home order, we urge you to use transit only for your essential trips, and to stay at home otherwise. But, should you need to go to work, shop for groceries, or tend to medical appointments, Pasadena Transit and Dial-A-Ride are here to support you during this time.
On April 19th, Pasadena Transit is implementing a schedule change to increase the number of buses on Route 20 to allow passengers more space for social distancing. In addition, in accordance with the City's health order, passengers and drivers are both required to wear clean cloth face coverings to ride the bus starting on Thursday, April 16th. For more information about Pasadena Transit or Dial-A-Ride, click here.
Local Store Marketing Tool To Help Your Business
The City of Pasadena is pleased to offer Pasadena businesses an additional marketing tool to target potential customers, especially in planning for future marketing campaigns. Businesses interested in repositioning or finding and attracting new audiences can do that with the help of a local store marketing tool. The LSMx program is intended for small and/or independent business owners and provides customer and trade area insights. Here is a demo video. To learn more and to sign-up to access this FREE tool, Pasadena businesses should click here.
Helpful Links For State Business Resources:
- The State Employment Development Department (EDD) has a dedicated webpage for worker and employer issues related to COVID-19. Info for workers includes: unemployment & disability insurance, paid family leave, reduced work hours, etc. Info for employers includes: tax assistance, potential closure or layoffs, and workplace health & safety.
- EDD Tax Assistance - Employers experiencing a hardship as a result of COVID-19 may request up to a 60-day extension of time from the EDD to file their state payroll reports and/or deposit state payroll taxes without penalty or interest. Call the EDD Taxpayer Assistance Center 1-888-745-3886 (toll-free).
- OnwardCA is a new resource for the people of the state of California impacted by COVID-19. For more information, click here.
- The Small Business Finance Center (SBFC) partners with Financial Development Corporations to provide loan guarantees and direct loans for small businesses that experience capital access barriers. For more info about loan programs can be found here.
Helpful Links Regarding COVID-19:
- City of Pasadena Novel Coronavirus page
- City of Pasadena COVID-19 Information for Businesses
- Los Angeles County Department of Public Health Information Page & Business Toolkit
- Center for Disease Control and Prevention Novel Coronavirus page
- Center for Disease Control Guidelines for Workplace, Home & School
- Before travelling, please visit the Department of State Travel Advisory page
- Please call 211, the LA County hotline, for any health and human services needs.
- Follow the City of Pasadena on Social Media for frequent updates: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram
Sign-Up for Business Briefing Updates:
Please encourage your merchants, business owners, and associates to subscribe to receive these business updates related to the City of Pasadena's response to COVID-19. To subscribe, click here.
We appreciate our business community's patience, understanding, and support
as we navigate the challenges related to COVID-19.
We are a resilient community.
We are in this together.
Please stay healthy and safe