ESFPA AlertSeptember 7, 2021Hi friend, ESFPA has two updates for you. One is the latest on the Hero Act and the second is the upcoming webinar on the PATHH program. Governor Hochul Announces Designation of COVID Triggering the HERO Act Governor Kathy Hochul yesterday announced that the Commissioner of Health has designated COVID-19 a highly contagious communicable disease that presents a serious risk of harm to the public health under New York State's HERO Act, which requires all employers to implement workplace safety plans in the event of an airborne infectious disease, helping to prevent workplace infections. Under this law signed on May 5th, employers had until August 5, 2021, to either (1) adopt a prevention plan template developed by the New York State Department of Labor (“NYSDOL”) or (2) develop and establish an alternative prevention plan that meets or exceeds minimum requirements. The NY HERO Act applies to all private employers in New York State with at least ten employees. You can find more about employer responsibilities under the HERO act here. Now that the Commissioner of Health has designated COVID plans must be implemented immediately. USDA FSA Offering Webinar on the PATHH Program The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) will present a webinar on the Pandemic Assistance for Timber Harvesters and Haulers Program (PATHH) on Thursday, Sept. 9 at 6:30 p.m. This webinar is for operators in the Northeast states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont. USDA is providing critical support to timber harvesting and hauling businesses impacted by the coronavirus pandemic through PATHH. PATHH aids businesses that suffered a gross revenue loss of at least 10% from Jan. 1 through Dec. 1, 2020, compared to the same period in 2019. FSA is accepting applications for PATHH through Oct. 15, 2021. Loggers and truckers may apply for PATHH by working directly with the FSA office at their local USDA Service Center. Visit farmers.gov/service-locator to find your local FSA county office. A press release about this is webinar can be found here. Those interested should register here. Anyone who registers will get a link to a recording of the webinar as well.
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