The state’s chamber of commerce is proposing a plan to get the economy moving again while providing relief during the public health emergency.
Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce (WMC)’s plan, the COVID-19 Relief & Recovery Agenda, is “aimed at providing economic assistance to those in need; a reprieve of costly and burdensome regulations on businesses stepping up during this public health emergency; and getting people back to work quickly following this crisis.”
“Wisconsin’s business community is stepping up during this public health emergency, and it is the duty of lawmakers to provide support to employers, employees and all Wisconsinites who are struggling,” said Scott Manley, WMC Executive Vice President of Government Relations. “WMC’s Relief & Recovery Agenda will keep more businesses operational, ensure folks are still able to provide for their families and help our economy bounce back following this crisis.”
According to WMC, their plan would:
- Provide liquidity for businesses through tax credits and payment deferments
- Enact liability protections to allow businesses to safeguard employees and other essential visitors at their facilities
- Temporarily pause Dept. of Revenue audits that are incredibly disruptive to business operations
- Prohibit unemployment benefit withdrawals from counting against an employer’s experience rating
- Prioritize COVID-19 testing for employees working in essential industries like health care, manufacturing and energy
- Provide families with financial assistance through tax credits and unemployment insurance waivers
- Provide families with increased flexibility for tax payments
- Provide flexibility for employees by temporarily waiving continuing education requirements
Among its proposals, WMC suggests giving homeowners a 90-day extension on their next property tax payment, a refundable for tax credit for companies continuing to pay employees caring for family with the Coronavirus, and temporarily waive the one-week waiting period for unemployment benefits.
